In a moment
by StrawberryStoleYourCookie
Summary: Erik and Christine must both reflect on the many things that have happened in the past. The anger and love, the sadness and joy. And Christine must make a choice: she has married Raoul, but is he really who she wants? Written with kristygirl4u.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This was written by I, StrawberryStoleYourCookie, and kristygirl4u. She wrote Christine's parts, and I wrote Raoul and Father Daae's. Please Review! Neither of us own the Phantom of the Opera. **

"Not now, Raoul," Christine said, shooing him off.

She didn't want anyone in her sight that rainy day. She wanted peace and silence. She needed time to think. She never had any time to think anymore now that she was married to her childhood sweetheart.

What was it that the mysterious voice would tell her on rainy days? Oh, right. 'Do not look upon the gloom of the rainstorm, but look at its true beauty. Beauty exists even in the things that may seem dullest in this world, but you need to know how to look for it.' Could she find the beauty in the storm anymore?

Recently, Christine began to feel lonely and miserable, even with Raoul at her side every time she'd began to cry lightly. It was four years that had passed from the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera. Four years was more than enough to get over her misery. The opera house had been reconstructed and it was just as thriving as it was when she was younger.

But ever since she had found out the truth of her Angel of Music she was never the same. Perhaps it would've been better if it had all been a secret and she would just be hearing the voice behind her mirror.

"Poor Erik. Poor, poor Erik," she whispered aloud to herself.

His name on her lips seemed so strange for she had never uttered a word about him. But his name seemed to bring back so many memories, most of which were dreadful to remember, but the good memories brought her comfort and joy.

Her heart sunk when the little voice in her head told her she'd never pass by those memories again. Why? Why was that incident haunting her? Would it be a shadow that will follow her around everywhere for the rest of her life? She would never be able to bear with it if it was. She'd never live her life the way she always dreamed of living it.

But oh, if only her father had never died! Everything would've have been so much better then! She would have married Raoul so joyously and she never would have met the Phantom of the Opera. She would only dream of the Angel of Music like she always would and never once be curious enough to seek him out…

* * *

_"Papa, please tell me about the Angel of Music again. I want to dream of him tonight so songs will play in my head while I sleep," Christine begged her father at the bright and young age of four._

_"My child, the Angel of Music is beautiful. He'll always be there, with you. I promise. You just wait. He'll bless you."_

"_Will he help me learn to sing? I want to sing like you do, Papa. I want to have a beautiful voice like those girls from the musical stories I've seen with you! Will he help me do that?" Little Christine asked eagerly. She was always content with Father Daae's stories, but the one about the Angel of Music intrigued and fascinated her the most._

_Father Daae smiled at his little angel, his eyes twinkling like little stars. "He will. He will help you to sing better than even I. And one day maybe you will be able to star in a musical story." He laughed quietly. "But for now, it is time to go to sleep. You really wouldn't want to be too tired for the Angel of Music to help you, would you?"_

_Christine frowned. "But I want to hear more. I want to tell Raoul all about the Angel of Music. I want him to hear the Angel too! Can he? Or is the Angel just for me?" she asked with a questioning look. It was time for her to go to bed, but she was never tired for her father's stories and descriptions._

_"I know, dear. The Angel of Music visits who he chooses. But I know he'll visit you. Now, why don't you go to sleep? Maybe he'll visit you." Father Daae smiled as he kissed his daughter on the forehead._

_The little girl sighed as she got up. "Promise you'll send me the Angel of Music tonight? Will you tell him that I want him to sing to me?" Christine's greatest fear was that she might do something wrong and the Angel of Music won't sing to her at night. She was afraid of the dark, but when she'd hear the singing, she was comforted._

_"I promise, child, I'll tell him. Now come to bed." Father Daae led his small child to her bed and laid her down. With one more kiss to her forehead, he turned off her light and closed her door gently._

_Christine pulled the covers until they fully covered her face. "Angel of Music, please sing to me," she whispered. "Please don't leave me. I'm sorry I stole that ribbon instead of returning it to that lady."_

_Christine heard the voice erupt around her. He was speaking to her again, "Little angel. Shouldn't you know better than that? Don't steal again, angel. And return it later." She heard his music fill her young head._

"_I will. I promise. I won't steal ever again. But please sing beautiful songs to me again," Christine begged the voice. "I'm afraid."_

_"Don't be afraid__,__ child._

My little child you shall know me  
Listen to my beautiful music  
Sleep little child, you need rest  
I am with you"

_Christine found her voice to answer in response.  
"Angel of Music, I have found you  
Listening to your songs  
Angel of Music, do not leave me  
Sing to me, dear Angel."_

_"Sleep my little angel...sleep little angel...sleep my little angel...sleep little angel."_

_The little girl smiled as she pulled the covers from her face. Her Angel of Music was with her, no doubt now. It was that beautiful singing voice that sang every night. It soothed her fear and she was able to sleep peacefully now, with the Angel of Music singing songs in her head. "Good-night," she whispered and blew out her candle._

_"Good night..." And there was silence._

Christine felt a tear wet her cheek when that memory slipped away. The Angel of Music was with her from the moment she was born. He was there when she was afraid of the dark and he'd sing to her. She never deserved anything like that.

Suddenly, she thought about Raoul. Perhaps her Angel would do that, but Raoul was her only friend. They would play all the time and even then, when they were children, when she was upset about something, he always made her smile, no matter what…

_"Christine! Come __on__, hold still!" Raoul let out the little shouts of delight as he tried to catch Christine, who jumped away easily. She let out little squeals when he caught her arm and took off, waiting for her to catch him. He laughed as he ran across the grass, the wind ruffling his hair._

"_No fair, you said you weren't going to run so fast!" Christine cried out with a giggle as she chased after him. This was what she loved doing the most in the middle of spring: playing tag with Raoul when her father was out in the city. "I'm going to get you right"- but her voice was cut off as she tripped over a rock and she tumbled to the ground._

_"Christine! Are you alright?" He ran and crouched in front of Christine, his hand reaching for her elbow. His eyes were wide with fear for his best friend._

_Christine refused to cry, even though her knee was bleeding and she felt pain. She knew she was going to be safe because Raoul would help her. "Can you- can you please bring Papa's kit for my cut? You know where it is," she said, her lower lip trembling. _

_Raoul bit his lip. He really didn't want to leave her, even if it was just to go into the house. But he took her hand and placed it over her cut. "Keep it there, okay? Push on it, to try to stop the bleeding. I'll be back in a moment." Raoul jumped up and took off towards the house. They had been a little ways away from her house, but they were close enough. He ran inside and dove towards the drawer that held the little kit. Grabbing it, he took off back for Christine._

_Christine did as he said but hoped he wouldn't be long. When she saw him coming, she felt hopeful. "I'm not going to die, am I?" she asked cautiously for she had never gotten hurt besides a few bruises here and there, and all from playing with Raoul_

_Raoul almost laughed at Christine's young innocence. But he kept his mouth shut, taking out the __necessary__ items. "No, don't worry. You won't die. I promise. It is just a little cut. I'll make it better." Raoul smiled as he finished wrapping it. Taking her arm, he helped her stand, and steadied her, trying to keep pressure off of her knee. "Come inside. You'll be fine. Perhaps I shall be able to find some candies inside." He smiled at her. He wasn't entirely sure what he felt for the little girl, but he certainly knew he cared for her._

_Christine looked up at him as if he were her hero. She smiled the best smile she could and took his hand. "Thank you, Raoul. You're the best anyone could ever have!" she exclaimed with happiness in her voice. "You should be my big brother." Christine knew she was proud to have him as a friend. Scratch that, as a best friend._

_Raoul felt a jolt in his stomach at her wish for him to be her brother, but unknowing what it was he shrugged it off. He smiled at her as he helped her inside and onto the couch. He had felt a different kind of jolt when she had said he was the best. It was a good kind. "You should be fine now. You're strong. I'm proud of you Christine." He pulled out several candies from a drawer and plopped down next to her to share them._

_She opened one candy, and played with the wrapper for a little while, then looked at him again. She tilted her head to one side. Then, she gave him a peck on the check and giggled. "You're proud of me?" she asked innocently. "I'm proud of you. You can do anything and even I can't do things that you can do."_

_Raoul surged with __embarrassment__ and pride at the same time. "Thanks, Christine. But you have reason to be __proud__ of yourself. You didn't even cry. Your father will certainly be proud of you."_

"_Do you think that when I am a grown-up you will see me sing on a real live stage? Papa says that he will help me get there. He said that when I am older than now, he will make sure that the Angel of Music helps me to sing beautifully and that one day I will be good enough to have my Papa even prouder of me than you," Christine explained to him with a serious look on her face._

_"Maybe. I hope so. It really would be cool. I bet you'll be able to do it if you try. You're already on your way. I really hope so, Christine." Raoul looked as serious as Christine, and images of little Christine on a stage were playing in his head._

"_Thank you, Raoul," she said with a smile and touched his hand. When did she ever make friends with him? She tried remembering but couldn't. "Thank you."_

_Raoul just smiled and turned his hand over to grasp hers. He decided he'd remember this forever._


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: This was once again written by me and kristygirl4u, and will be for all eternity. She wrote Christine's parts, and I wrote Erik's. Please Review! Neither of us own The Phantom of the Opera. **

Erik paced the floor of his catacombs, the thoughts in his head raging around. He hadn't spoken to anyone in years. He had outright rejected Madame Giry so she had given up bothering. He was wishing he hadn't made as many mistakes as he had before. His anger, his murders. All had created aversion between Christine and him. He just wanted her back. But would he ever achieve this dream? He remembered yelling at Christine when she pulled off his mask. He shook his head.

He used to talk to her. Student and teacher. Things had been easier. Now he rarely saw any opera, heard any music. The music that would dance in his head left him. He sat down and put his head in his hands. The tears were threatening to come again. "My Christine..." he murmured softly, his voice hoarse from unuse. He stood and walked to the eerie lake. How many times did he consider drowning in it? He sighed softly.

He had barely been able to handle himself. He would switch between periods of sadness and anger. He would never have any chance at love now, at a "normal" life. His one chance was gone, left with an arrogant fop. Left without a second glance.

If that fop had never intruded upon Christine's life he would still be her teacher, perhaps something more. Or had he never dropped that curtain on La Carlotta she would never have starred or been noticed by the Vicomte. How long would he wish for his Angel of Music to come back to him. He sighed and looked towards the roof absent mindedly, remembering his days with Christine.

* * *

_Erik hid himself in the wall carefully to wait for his Angel to return to her room. He had made Madame Giry put her in a room separate the other girls so he could speak to her. He heard footsteps outside of the door and forced himself still, silent._

_Christine turned the doorknob and went inside her room. It was right after the first time she ever performed on a stage and she was practically in tears of excitement and delight. "I can't believe I did it! I didn't fail!" she exclaimed._

_"Brava, brava, bravissama," Erik called to her. "You most certainly did not fail, my Angel."_

"_Angel of Music, did you really like it? I have just been here a few weeks. It couldn't have been that great. But, I'm glad I didn't stumble over any words," Christine said with a smile at her Angel's voice. Sometimes, she felt she was talking to a wall, but other times, she felt she was talking to her father._

_"It was amazing, Angel. You did excellent. You'll be getting better parts one day."_

"_But you deserve so much of the credit. You've been giving me lessons and I'll never forget what you are doing for me. I only wish Father was here to see me," Christine said longingly, but was still smiling somewhat, looking towards her mirror._

_"You flatter me, child. I'm sure your father is watching. I might be giving you lessons, but they would not succeed with out your talent. Do not take yourself for granted. That will bring nothing good."_

"_My talent comes from the Angel of Music, who, so long ago would watch over me when I would sleep and sing songs in my head all night," she said. "Angel, when will you tell me who you are? Are you truly and Angel, sent from my father? Or are you my father, who promised to be with me always?"_

_Erik wondered whether he could lie to her or not. Would he lose her trust for ever if he did? "You shall learn in time."_

_Christine sighed. "How long must I wait, Angel of Music, how long? You know by now that I am not patient and it is very hard for me to wait."_

_"Learn patience. It is a necessary component in your learning. Do not push me, child."_

"_Please, Angel, please, at least tell me who you are, if I don't see you! I beg of you!" Christine begged, standing up from her chair._

_"Angel..." Erik wasn't entirely sure what to do. "Soon, Angel, soon. I swear it."_

_Christine's face fell. She knew she wasn't going to get an answer and if she was, she was afraid she wouldn't be satisfied with it. "Then I believe you. And I'll wait. I'll wait as I have been waiting all my life."_

_Erik sighed. Could he leave her like this? Softly he sang to her, "I am your Angel of Music" And then he turned to flee. He wasn't entirely sure he could stand to see her face light up at his lie. But yet he stopped and looked into her eyes._

_She smiled lightly, then grinned widely. "Angel of Music, keep watch over me. You are my only protector which can understand who I am," she said softly._

_Erik couldn't resist a smile. He left her in silence and hurried back to his cavern._

* * *

Erik sighed as he remembered his lie. She had always been determined, stubborn, and impatient. Most of the time, anyway. He remembered the first time he had allowed her to see him.

* * *

_Erik waited patiently in the mirror for his angel to return. Today would be the day he would take her for his own. Her singing had been far past beautiful, he thought._

_Christine laughed. "Thanks, Meg. I'll come by tomorrow morning and we can go out and have some fun. We need a break from rehearsal and dancing," she said and then closed the door._

_A wave of his hand. It was all it would take to blow out all of the candles. Quickly he extinguished the flames and locked Christine's door._

_Suddenly, everything became quiet and dark. Christine looked around but nothing seemed abnormal. What was going on?_

_Erik allowed his voice to ring out from behind his hidden place. "Beautiful child, it's time to see. Discover my shadows and night. Look at your face in the mirror. I am there inside."_

_Christine looked curiously at the mirror. She could see the outline of a figure if she looked carefully. "Angel of Music, is it you? Angel, come to me," she said, finding her voice. She walked closer to the mirror and touched the glass._

_Gently and slowly, Erik moved away the glass and took her hand. His heart raced as he touched her._

_She looked up at him as she felt his hand. She was curious, but she was under a spell when she looked into his eyes. They were blue, a beautiful color, and they observed her so carefully. "Angel…" she murmured._

_He gently pulled her into the mirror into the strange hall, sure to slide the glass close. His eyes never left hers as he pulled her through the eerily lit hall._

_Christine couldn't break her glance away from his eyes. She looked so fascinated as he was carefully leading her through the hall. She squeezed his hand and her mouth opened slightly as she realized who he was_

_She knows. It was the only thought that came into Erik's mind as he led her through the hall. She knew he was the Phantom of the Opera. But she had squeezed his hand. She was not afraid._

"_You were the one singing to me when I was asleep. You sang songs of comfort," Christine whispered, dazed. "You're a man."_

_"Yes, Christine." Erik was slightly surprised she did not run from him. But he was not surprised she was in a trance._

"_My…Angel of Music?" Christine asked, mostly herself, but also to the strange man._

_"Your Angel of Music," Erik confirmed. He grasped her hand tighter as they neared closer to the lake and his boat._

"_What is your name?" she dared asking. "Who are you?"_

_Erik knew he could trust her but that didn't mean he would spill everything. That would ruin the air of mystery. "I have many names."_

"_Tell me some of them," Christine said. She insisted on knowing who he truly was. Now that she knew her Angel was a man, she felt odd calling him 'Angel of Music'._

_Erik considered her for a moment. Then, with a gentle kiss to her hand, he whispered "Erik."_

"_Erik," she repeated. "It suits you. It isn't a very usual name and you, too, are very strange, but quite interesting." Suddenly, she realized how mean it sounded. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it in that way. I meant it as a good thing."_

_"Do not be afraid, my angel," his eyes bore into hers. "Strange is an appropriate word for me. And I have been called worse."_

"_Worse? How can that be when you are so gentle and careful?" Christine inquired. Then, she noticed that half of his face, the right side, was covered by a mask. She didn't notice it before, but perhaps that is why he had been called worse. Something was hidden under the mask. "What happened?" She motioned towards the mask._

_Erik almost smirked at her first question, but he addressed her last. "Christine, what is under this mask is not a story that needs to be told. You would do better to not know."_

"_But why?" she wondered. "It can't be anything so horrible, Erik. I'm sure it's not."_

_Erik almost laughed. "Trust me, angel. You have no idea the extent of horror that would befall you at the event of seeing what is underneath this mask. An event I will not allow to happen."_

_Christine almost pouted, but she heard the edge of fierceness in his voice. She decided to ask another question. "Where are we going? Where are you taking me?"_

_"To the place I dwell in. Do not worry, Christine. You will be safe."_

"_Underground? There is darkness," she said, though she knew it was obvious. "What will you do to me?"_

_Erik nearly stopped in shock at this but managed to keep a semblance of calm and keep walking. "Christine, I would never do anything to hurt you. I would have thought you knew that. I am the same one that sang to you after your operas. You trusted me then. Trust me now. Do not be afraid of me. There is nothing to fear of me or the place we are headed."_

"_But I knew you were my Angel of Music. Now, I see you are a man. I don't know what to believe right now. I am not afraid. Just a little…confused."_

_"Confused," Erik breathed softly. He looked back at her with determined eyes. "Christine, you may have thought of me differently but I in truth I never changed. Don't be confused. I am Erik. I am your Angel of Music. You'll understand soon."_

_Christine looked at him as she tilted her head sideways. She was studying him. His actions, his gentle words, and his soft touch. "And…why are you bringing me to your…where you live?"_

_Erik observed her inquisitive eyes, "I believe you wanted to know who your Angel was."_

"_Yes, but, I didn't ask for a complete answer. I simply asked who you were," she said, then hung her head shamefully. No way was she going to blame her Angel for taking her. She asked and he answered._

_Erik stopped and looked at Christine. Gently, he lifted her chin to look at her eyes. "Regret nothing Christine. You have made no wrongs. This is part of who I am. I chose to show you."_

_Christine smiled half-heartedly. "Ok," she whispered. "Perhaps one day you will let me see what is under your mask." Inside, she was dying of curiosity, but didn't push it to the extreme._

_Erik noticed the contrast between her eyes and her words. She longed to see what was there, even if she didn't speak it. "Perhaps," he sighed and then continued his walk with her._

"_How much further? You have forgotten I have these shoes," Christine said, pointing to her high-heeled shoes for she was still dressed in her costume from the opera performance._

_"A moment Christine..." Erik trailed off as they reached the lake and his small boat. He motioned for her to sit and took the oar in his hand._

_She sat down and tucked her legs under her. She was still fascinated by the sight of her Angel of Music and just couldn't stop staring. "And how long will my visit be?" she suddenly asked._

_Erik stood in front of her and pushed the boat off into the river. "As long as it needs be," he answered calmly, refusing to give a straight answer to her question. If it was his decision she would not be leaving, but he was not going to force her to stay down here with him. She didn't deserve to be condemned to this darkness._

_She looked around, amazed at how everything seemed so different from the upper world. "What will you show me?" she asked curiously. In truth, she was a bit nervous, but he was just so gentle with her, she couldn't show fear._

_"My music," Erik watched her reactions carefully. She was as he had always known her to be: curious and inquisitive._

_Christine nodded and looked around her again. She was being taken to the Angel of Music's dwelling. But there was something strange about him that she felt she knew. Even Meg Giry would speak of it. But…"You're the Phantom of the Opera. You're the one inside my mind all the time," she asked with a small gasp._

_He thought about not answering her. Leaving her in her own thoughts but that wouldn't be enough. She'd ask more. "Yes," Erik answered, barely louder than a whisper._

"_But why? Why not the other chorus girls? I'm not special. I'm just another girl, but without a father and no mother," Christine said, wishing more than ever that her father was still around._

_"Because you were the one I chose. Your voice is beautiful. You are different from the others, I could tell the first time I laid my eyes on you."_

_Christine then felt a sudden shock inside. "When was the first time you laid eyes on me?" She was afraid that she knew the answer._

_"Since you first came, Angel." Erik's voice was soft. He had heard the shock in her voice, seen it in her eyes._

_Christine knew that the first time she heard of the Angel of Music was ever since she was born and her Father would tell her stories of him. She began talking to the Angel of Music when she was about three, when she began to understand what the Angel did. "You came when I asked you to," she said, remembering._

_"Yes." Erik pushed the boat against the shore and stepped out. He threw off his cloak and held out his hand to Christine._

_She gave him that look that said, 'what is the reason for this?' but took his hand. He pulled her up and she almost fell against him with the force that lifted her up. "Your music…" she began, "is beautiful." She thought of his words._

_Erik nodded to his angel and began to sing to her softly. "I have brought you to the seat of sweet music's throne. To this kingdom where all must pay homage to music."_

_His voice was so beautiful as it always had been but when she was there with him, his voice couldn't be more perfect. "You have brought me to the secret of music's night. In the place where all became music…music…" Christine sang softly, not sure if she should've interrupted._

_Erik almost smiled at the sound of her perfect voice. "Christine, my angel, you shall see. Understand why here I hide. Look around you, see my life. This is where I am."_

"_Angel of Music don't deceive me, I allowed you to take me. Angel I seeked you and so you listened. Thank you my dear, Angel," Christine sang a little louder this time. She was still looking at him intently for she felt she was hypnotized._

_Erik led her slowly to his organ, singing, keeping her under his spell. "Listen to your Angel of Music. Follow me, Angel of Music."_

_Christine looked at him with big eyes. She was still shocked, dazed, and every other synonym for those words. "Erik, you are my Angel of Music," she said softly. "Show me what you want to show me."_

_Erik motioned for her to sit down on the bench in front of his organ, and sat down himself placing his fingers softly on the keys. He hoped if she would hear his music she would understand all he could not say, and stay with him, share their music._

_Christine listened to the music that was being heard from the organ. It was so peaceful and calming and she began humming along even if she didn't know the melody. She stared at how his fingers ran across each key and then at her fingers. She would never be able to do that. She would just stick to singing and dancing._

_Erik barely needed to focus on the music and was glad to hear her humming with it. She liked it, apparently. He had written it for her._

_She continued humming along with the music, but yawned after a few minutes. It was late at night. She hadn't slept the previous night either due to her excitement and nervousness. But she kept awake while Erik kept on playing._

_Erik had seen her yawn and knew she was getting tired. Without stopping his playing, he began to sing to her once again. "Christine, you will have to make a choice. One that shall affect us both. Listen to me, closely. Your time will come."_

"_Once again I hear you in my dreams. Singing to me peacefully. Time will tell everything. What time do you mean?" she sang back, barely above a whisper. Her eyes were drooping to the soothing music. The only thing keeping her awake was his voice and his face._

_Erik saw how close she was to sleep and changed his strange melody to a soft lullaby, created when she was still a child. He sang to her softly, "Just wait a little longer, you shall see where your part lies. Wait with me here for now. Time will tell." He continued to play softly, seeing whether she would fall asleep._

_And Christine finally let her eyes close and as soon as her head became heavy, she laid it on Erik's shoulder. She didn't care where she was, or who she was with, all she knew was that she wanted to sleep._

_Erik tensed for a moment when he felt her lean on him, but he quickly relaxed. He turned his body slowly, and lifted her, considering whether to bring her back to her dressing room or to lay her in one of his beds. After a moment he made his decision, for she had not made hers. He laid her down in his beautiful swan bed and ran a hand gently along her cheek. When she awoke, it would be her decision to stay or leave. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he already knew what her answer would be._

_Christine felt herself being carried off, but to where, she didn't care at that moment. Everyone seemed so vague and she doubted she'd remember what happened for she was so tired. Her dreams contained music in them and there was a voice, yes, a beautiful voice that sang and she thought she could never get enough of the voice._

_Erik watched her for another moment before turning, and heading back to his organ to compose another piece. She had not rejected him. At least not yet. Such an occasion deserved a piece of music._


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Here is chapter 3...kristygirl4u was Christine and I was Christine's Father, Raoul, Raoul's father, and Erik. Please reivew! We haven't been getting that many. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Out the window were two birds fighting while in flight. Suddenly, the weaker one fell to the ground and didn't get up. When the other bird was satisfied, it flew away, leaving the smaller bird on the ground, letting it die.

Christine felt sorry for the bird and went outside to retrieve it. She touched its wings, but it didn't move. She knew it was dead. It would never be able to fly again, nor would it ever see daylight again…

* * *

_"Papa, papa, come with me outside! It's snowing!" Christine cried out, tugging at her father's hand._

_Christine's father looked at his little daughter, feeling more tired than usual. Carefully, he stood and made to follow his child._

"_Come with me, Papa! I'm going to show you what I'm going to build with Raoul! He's waiting for me outside!" seven-year-old Christine exclaimed with a smile on her face. Raoul, sure enough was outside wearing a hat, scarf, and mittens and Christine already had hers on. Raoul was rolling around a lump of snow, trying to make it round._

_Father Daae smiled at the two of them. He was happy to know his daughter was having such a good time in the snow. He coughed a little into his hand but thought nothing of it._

_Christine began helping Raoul, but every time she began rolling the snow, it crumbled in her hands. But she was persistent. She kept trying until she had a snowball in her hand. "This is for you, Father," Christine said, holding out the snowball with a giggle. She was beginning to call him 'Father' and not 'Papa' anymore, but the childish name stuck once in a while._

_Father Daae smiled and took the ball in his hands. "It's beautiful, Christine. Thank you." His voice was soft as he gently held the freezing snowball._

_Christine grinned and looked proud of herself. She ran back to Raoul, made another snowball and threw it at him. "Got you!" she cried out and laughed._

_Raoul frowned and brushed the snow off his jacket, but his frown quickly turned into a smile as he started making another snowball. He threw it at Christine with careful aim._

Father Daae watched the two of them play and smiled, remembering the joy snow had brought him when he was young.

_Christine shrieked with delight as the two of them began a snowball fight. She was only seven, but for a seven-year-old she was smart and a pretty little thing. "You can't get me!" And Raoul threw another snowball, but she ducked it and threw one at him._

_Raoul blocked the hit with his arm, and tossed another, giddy with excitement. "I'll catch you, Christine!"_

_Christine began running as fast as her legs would take her and hopefully faster than Raoul would catch her. "No you won't!"_

_Raoul grabbed another handful of snow and raced after her, forming the ball in his hands. He threw it at her with as good aim as possible when one is running._

_Again, Christine laughed delightfully as he chased her. She even forgot her father was there watching her. "Raoul, don't shove it in my face, it's very cold!"_

_"I won't, Christine! Don't worry!" He smirked as he pelted another snowball at her back._

_"I won't, Christine! Don't worry!" He smirked as he pelted another snowball at her back._

"_Hey!" she cried out, then fell into the snow, giggling so hard she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to breathe anymore. But she was having so fun with Raoul and wondered what her father was thinking._

_Indeed, Christine's father was having deep thoughts. He saw Raoul run to Christine and drop down beside her. He was worried. He had not been feeling his best as of late. But his daughter was happy. That was what was important._

_Christine suddenly looked up at her father and saw him with a small frown on his face. She wanted him to smile. "I love you, Papa," she said in her cutest voice ever and grinned while she began tickling Raoul._

_Christine's father smiled gently at his daughter. But a moment later he went into a coughing fit. With one last look at his daughter, he headed inside to go lay down._

_The little girl looked at her father when he began coughing and her eyes followed him as he went inside. She looked a bit worried, but then smiling and laughed when she saw Raoul in the snow and she joined him._

_Raoul laughed with Christine for a couple of more minutes before sitting up and looking at her seriously. "I've got to go home, Christine. It's getting late. You should go check on your father. He might need you to get him something."_

_"Christine," her father managed to say. He was still coughing. He looked into her eyes and knew it may be one of the last times he did. He knew that fact very well. He grasped her hand. "The Angel of Music will always be there. And so will I. I love you."_

_Christine felt her heart rate increase and she was afraid. "But Father, where are you going? When you will you come back?" she asked, her eyes wide with fear._

_"Oh, Christine," her father whispered, pulling her hand onto his chest. "I'm so sorry. I'm going to heaven, dear. And you know as well as I do I won't be coming back."_

_That's when Christine's tears fell freely down her cheeks. "Papa, you can't leave me! Who will take care of me when you're gone!? You can't-you can't…go. Please, Papa, don't leave me alone," she sobbed and laid her head on her father's chest._

_Christine knew that when his hand stopped moving, he was gone. She began crying again and stayed like that for about a half hour. "Papa, I love you too," she sobbed. After another ten minutes, she wiped her tears, and went out to find someone she knew. The only person she knew was Raoul and his family. She'd get to them despite the fact that it was snowing hard. She ran through the snow and knocked on the front door._

_Raoul pulled open the door and was shocked to find a stricken Christine out in the snow. He gripped her hand and pulled her inside. "Christine, what happened?"_

"_I-I can't-I need help. I need your father to come with-with…" She couldn't continue so she burst into fresh tears. "Raoul, get your father, please."_

_"Oh, Christine. Father! Father, come quick!" When he heard footsteps coming down the hall he sighed and looked at Christine. After a moment, he pulled her towards him and hugged her in a sort-of brotherly way, shushing her gently. When his father appeared he spoke again. "Father, something went wrong with Christine. I think her father is sick. We have to go." He immediately grabbed his father's hand and started pulling him to the door, Christine still wrapped in his other arm._

_Christine was beginning to warm up with Raoul's arm around her but as soon as her face hit the cold air again, she began to shiver. "He's in his room," she said as soon as they entered the house. Christine refused to go in her father's room and she just stayed in the parlor._

_Raoul's father nodded and walked into the room, telling Raoul to stay with Christine. When he saw the man he quickly investigated for a pulse and nodded solemnly when he saw there wasn't one. He headed back out and looked at the little girl. In a very fatherly way, he pulled the little girl into his arms and held her, stroking her hair gently. "It'll be alright, Christine. We're gonna get someone to come help him, okay? It'll be alright. I'll make it alright."_

"_You can't make anything alright because Father is gone! The only way to make everything alright is if he comes back! And he's not going to because Father is dead!" Christine shrieked and started crying all over again. This couldn't be happening. It was bad enough that she had lost her mother when she was two years old, but her father taught her everything she knew._

_"Shush," he whispered softly to her. "I know Christine, I know. You have to stay calm. You are strong. I know he is gone. That doesn't mean it can't be alright. It'll be hard. But you know your father wouldn't want you to cry about him forever. One day, it will all be alright. I know it doesn't seem like it right now. But it will be. For now just take it one step at a time. Right now, we are going to go back to my house. Raoul will take care of you while I get some people to come help." He finished stroking her hair, praying for her to calm down. He saw Raoul move forward and put his hand on Christine's shoulder._

_Christine sniffed and wiped her tears away. Raoul's father was right. She was strong and her father wouldn't want her to cry for him. He said that the Angel of Music would look out for her when he was gone. At least she had her Angel, if nothing else. "Ok," she said quietly and followed Raoul to his house._

_Raoul had his hand on Christine's shoulder the entire way there and when they got there he moved his arm around both of her shoulders and led her quickly to his room. There, he put a thick blanket around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "I'm sorry, Christine. It'll be okay. If Father says it will be okay it will. It's got to be. Come on, Christine. It's okay to cry now."_

_And all the tears that she held back were finally released. In all of her life she hadn't cried so much as of right then. She thought her whole world was torn apart, except for the fact that there was no more world left to be torn. "Raoul, why did this happen? And why to me? I was a good girl, wasn't I? I took care of Papa when Mama died; so why did all the bad things happen to me?" she asked him, then hugged him and cried on his shoulder._

_Raoul held her close and rocked back and forth gently. "It's not your fault Christine. This had nothing to do with being good or bad, nothing. Your father loved you and he was glad you took care of him. But he had to go. He still loves you. Don't you dare blame this on yourself, okay? Not once. Never ever think this had anything to do with you. I know bad things are happening. But I'll protect you, Little Lotte. Okay?"_

"_Yes, Raoul," she whispered and cried some more, but not much longer for she had no more tears to shed. "Maybe Father is gone, but I still have the Angel of Music with me. Father promised to send me the Angel of Music when he is in heaven." Christine glanced up at her dear friend. "What would I do if I never had you, Raoul? What?"_

_Raoul held her gently and continued to rock her back and forth. All he could pray for was that the Angel of Music really did stay with her. He had to. "Christine...Everything will be alright. The Angel of Music will always be there. I'm sure of it."_

"_He will be. I know he will," she said optimistically. She laid her head on Raoul's warm chest and almost immediately fell asleep. This time, there would be no angel to sing to her, but she had Raoul._

_Raoul shifted slightly and then wrapped his hands around her, refusing to let go and lay her down. He knew she needed him. He had known her father and was sad for him but his main concern was Christine. He was really worried about her. He let his head lean on to Christine's. He was pretty sure he needed her as well though for different reasons._

Raoul, oh, Raoul. How could she not love him? He was always there for here, even through the hardest times of her life. She would always love him. Maybe not the way he wanted it, but she always would.

Christine's mind then flew to when she went to the Phantom's lair underground for the first time. She fell asleep, she remembered. But she woke up also the next morning in his bed. He was just so mysterious and sometimes complicated to explain, but what she didn't know was what she wanted to know.

_Erik saw Christine shift and move up and he turned to look at her. He walked forward to her and looked down at her, trying to keep his eyes cold instead of compassionate and loving. He was failing._

_Christine was confused for a moment after she opened her eyes. She didn't know where she was, but then the melodies from the night before began playing in her head. She was with the Angel of Music. She was safe here, wasn't she? "Erik?" she mumbled, tilting her head to one side, questioningly._

_Erik laid his gloved finger on her cheek gently. He looked directly into her inquisitive eyes and stopped trying to hide the love in his. There was truly no point in disguising it. He loved her. And perhaps she loved him as well. "Christine," he breathed in means of confirmation._

_She looked around, then finally her eyes landed upon his. She shook her head. "So it wasn't a dream, then. It was real and you are…" She didn't know how to describe the human standing before her who was supposedly her Angel of Music, "a man. I-I do not understand."_

_"I am a man. I have always been a man and that doesn't change how we knew each other." Erik stroked her cheek once before pulling away and offering his hand to her to help her stand._

_Christine didn't take his hand. She could only shake her head and tries gathering up her thoughts. Was he telling her that her Angel of Music had always been a man? Impossible! What about at the house when her father would tell her stories and play his violin? It couldn't have been him! Then suddenly, she remembered an incident with her Angel when she stole a ribbon from someone. "Erik, what did I steal that one time when I was…four or five years old, and I apologized and I was relieved to hear your voice?" she tested him. But she wasn't sure he'd remember, even if Erik was the Angel of Music the entire time._

_Erik tilted his head at her and removed his hand. After a moment of thought, he leaned down to her until he was inches away from her face. "Trust your Angel," he whispered. "It was a ribbon."_

_Christine looked at him in shock. So it was him the entire time! He really was her Angel of Music, no doubt! Again, when he neared her, his eyes seemed to be the only thing she could look at. They were so hypnotizing and beautiful that it was hard to look away. "You knew. You remembered," she said softly. Suddenly, she lifted her hand to his left cheek and kept it there, as the left cheek were a substitute for the right._

_Erik's heart beat immediately quickened when he felt this but he kept calm. He raised his hand to his face and covered hers before pulling back slowly, though he did not release her hand. He held at it gently, and yet to him he was clutching it with his life. He softly rubbed his thumb against her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers._

_Her eyes just could never escape his no matter how hard she tried. It was as if they were holding a secret from her, but she just couldn't find it out. Without looking at his hand, she ungloved it and looked at it and felt like she was studying her father's hand. Who was this man who, when she'd sing, he was always there to praise her work? Why was he always there? "Erik, why is your presence so breathtaking for me? It overwhelms me," she said softly, dropping his hand but holding his black glove. He looked beautiful, well, the part of his face that was visible. He was clearly human, but he was so…attractive, in a way._

_She thought he was breathtaking. If she had any idea how much it did to him to have her touch him, to look at him without fear, she certainly would be overwhelmed. "Christine," he spoke in a whisper. "I cannot explain your question. But I can tell you I find you breathtaking as well." Erik felt his heart nearly skip a beat. She was so beautiful. He truly didn't deserve her. Not that that would stop him._

_Christine's long look was finally able to be cut. She looked away. "Why, Erik? Why? Why am I the chorus girl that you choose to give lessons to? Why did you become my Angel of Music to sing to me when I'm upset and to talk to me when I'm alone? Why me and not one of the other girls?" she asked. She had wondered this the entire time she was with him, but didn't say a word. Now, she did, feeling courage rise in her._

_"I've told you before Christine. You were always different. You always have been and you still are. I assure you, it is a good thing. Christine, do you have a problem with me choosing you?"_

_Christine's face fell. She hoped he didn't think that she didn't want him to be her Angel. It was quite the opposite. "No. I was just merely curious, that's all. I'm not normally chosen to be someone special and now I am just not sure what to believe," she admitted._

_Erik placed his hand under her chin and brought her curious and confused eyes to look into his cold, hard ones. "I understand your confusion but I cannot help it. I chose you and you never objected me. There is no getting out of it now. You need me, and I need you." Erik certainly didn't like admitting his need for anything but if this was what it took to convince her then fine. He'd do anything for her._

_Though her face was turned towards him, her eyes weren't. She looked away from him because she felt the begging in his eyes. "I don't need anyone or anything. I have everything I've wanted," Christine told him, her voice beginning to sound chocked up. "Erik, I want to leave." She swallowed hard and closed her eyes._

_Erik released her and pulled away. When he spoke his voice and eyes were completely void of emotion, carefully guarding himself from Christine. "If you want to leave then I'll take you back. Come on, into the boat." He offered her his hand to help her up, and to lead her to the boat._

_Christine didn't take his hand. "I want to go back with you only as far as the lake underground ends. Not to my room. I want to go alone from there," she said._

_Erik dropped his hand and stared at her, careful to keep emotion from his face. When the lake ended, it was a fairly far walk with several different halls branching off of it. It was possible for her to get lost, but she probably remembered the way. If she didn't want to walk with him, fine. But he certainly wouldn't be leaving her alone. If she were hurt he would never forgive himself. He nodded to her and walked to grab the oar. Then he nodded towards the boat, not speaking to her for lack of much to say._

_She couldn't look at him anymore. She knew he was hurt because of what she said, but she needed to think this through. She needed to think about what she had just experienced and what she was to do about it. She didn't dislike Erik. That wasn't the reason. She just needed to figure out what was his purpose and why he brought her to his place in the first place. "Erik, I-" she stopped. How was she going to say this? "I don't want you to think that I dislike you. I want you to know that I am an independent person and that I may say things that offend you, but I may not mean them in that way."_

_Erik was still careful to keep many of his emotions from leaking into his voice, but he did not speak unkindly to her. "I know that you are independent, Christine. Yes, I said you needed me. But did I not say that I needed you as well? Do you take me as a dependent person? I doubt that."_

"_I do not, Erik. I think you are as independent as I am, and probably more than that. You are no fool to think that I don't know how you act towards me. I realize that you do need me, but for what purpose, I do not know. And I also do not know why you think I need you. I hardly know you, other than hearing your voice every so often. I do not know you in truth," Christine told him._

_Erik felt anger surge inside of him. She truly thought she didn't need him. He who had given her her voice, and given her comfort when she was scared. Her voice was getting better and better because of the lessons he gave her and she acted like she could have done it on her own. He understood why she didn't get why he needed her. She had seen nothing yet. But for her to think that she didn't need him... "Get into the boat, Christine," his voice was barely above a whisper._

_She did as he said and she sat down in the boat. He was human. That was all that she could think about. If he were still just an invisible angel then it would have been a different story. He was human and she had been fooled. He was making a fool out of her by allowing her to think that he was the Angel of Music. Or maybe...maybe he really was her father, watching over her. "I'm sorry," she said quickly when the boat was in the water._

_"Don't be," he whispered in response. This whole thing was a mistake. He never should have appeared to her. Perhaps he never should have sung to her at all. Just have remained secluded down here, away from the possibility of hurting people. It would have been what was best. Perhaps now he should leave her be, stop from hurting her further, but could he? Did he have the strength? He pushed the boat further and further, knowing their time together would soon be cut short._

_Christine swallowed again and wouldn't allow a tear to fall. She kept it in and just started ahead. Why was he doing this now? She was hardly turning eighteen soon and she had the rest of her life ahead of her. She had so much more life left and she felt like she was ending it soon. Why? That was the biggest question. For everything, really._

_Erik watched Christine leave the boat and start through the halls. He watched her for a moment then, without a single sound as though he really was a ghost, he followed her, hiding in the darkness._


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Here we are with chapter 4...Neither me nor kristygirl4u own the Phantom of the Opera. kristygirl4u was Christine and I was Erik, same as the past chapters. Do us a huge favor and review please!! :D**

Erik gently pressed a key on his organ. Many years ago, the note that came out would have sounded angelic to his ears. It would have soothed him and brought him inspiration and peace. But now when he heard it, all he heard was hollow, uncaring noise. He tried to play something he had done so long ago. His hands wouldn't operate correctly. He slammed the keys with his fist and walked away from the instrument.

He looked around his home sadly. Once again, he felt the desperate longing for Christine that nearly brought him to his knees. Did she ever even think about him? He had once been so convinced she needed him. He certainly needed her. But now he had no one. His music and night had abandoned him. Why couldn't he have it all back? He sat down in one of his chairs and covered his eyes, drowning himself in the memories of Christine.

* * *

_Ever since Erik had brought Christine to his home he had gone to her room every night, keeping quiet, waiting for her to speak to him, hoping it wouldn't take her long. He did not watch her, knowing she would be upset by that. He turned his back to her and listened carefully. Tonight was no different as he heard Christine enter the room. He longed to turn and glance at her, but was careful to ignore his desperation._

_Christine could sense, once in a while that Erik was there, behind her mirror, but didn't say a thing. They didn't quite have an argument, but they weren't speaking to one another. She had time to think. A few weeks, at that, but she couldn't return to him. Not yet. But she also hadn't heard from her Angel of Music during those weeks. It was lonely and quiet. She sighed and as she sat down on her chair, she laid her head over her crossed arms that she had on the table. "Oh Erik..." she murmured._

_Erik stiffened when he heard her say his name. It was so quiet there was no way he could have missed it. He listened, praying she would say more. It gave him immense joy to hear her say his name. She hadn't forgotten him. He hadn't been speaking to her, because he wanted her to realize she needed him. At least to keep her from being alone. Maybe she even wanted him..._

_Christine felt a tear wet her cheek. She wiped it away and bit her lip to keep anymore from falling. She had always been the type to never allow anything to get her to show her emotions. She always refused to cry when she could resist it. But this time, she didn't know if she could resist. She felt pain in her heart and didn't know why. Was it because of her disappointment in the truth of her Angel, or was it because she was truly confused about this entire issue and had no idea how to pursue it? "Erik…I never needed you and yet you came. I never wanted you, but you made me want you," she said, her voice cracking as she began to cry. "You were always my only comfort and in no one else will I find it again. Do not leave me," she cried._

_"I never have, Angel," Erik finally allowed his voice to ring out. He hated seeing her cry. "Christine, did you ever truly think I would leave you? Had I not told you I needed you? Christine, you claim that you have never needed me, but you also say I am your only comfort. Angel, whether you need me or not I will always be here. Calm down, Angel. I am still with you."_

_Christine almost cried out in joy. He was there and had surprised her too! She wiped her tears away and was ashamed of having him seeing her in the state she was in. She stood up and straightened out her dress. "You have no deserted me, even though I have been ignoring what you have been saying to me all these years. Erik, there must be a reason for all of this! There must be!" she exclaimed._

_Erik smiled at her happiness. "A reason, Christine. Yes. But I fear you may not understand it. Not yet, Angel. But I doubt I'll have to tell you. You are smart, and you will find it. In time."_

"_You are right. I am curious enough to figure it out on my own, but you also know that my patience is very slim. Erik, I demand that you tell me what you want from me. I know that you have taught me everything about singing and my voice would have been nothing without you, but I want to know," she said._

_"Christine, why do you assume my reason for being here is because I want something from you? Christine, I-" Erik could not bring himself to say it. Not yet. But the truth was he simply loved her. He loved her with everything that he had. He wished for her love. But he did not expect it. He wouldn't put her in the position to know he loved her if she didn't love him in return. It would simply hurt her. "Christine, for now the only thing I want from you is for you not to waste your voice. And if that is the only thing that you ever give me then I will be forever grateful. But that is different from the reason I am here. That reason, I hope you will one day find. But I can't tell you." _

"_But it makes so sense whatsoever! How can you stand here and tell me…It is as if you're eating a cake with jelly in the middle, but you only eat the sides, leaving the middle there. You give me every clue and hint possible, but not what I need to hear! Why do you play games with me!" she exclaimed, feeling frustrated._

_Cake? Erik shook his head. Gently and slowly he pushed open the mirror and stepped out to Christine. "Angel, I do not play games. I know you wish for me to tell you outright why I am here but I cannot. You need to understand. One day you will figure it out. If not, I will tell you. But not tonight. Christine, please think about it. It is so close to your reach. Look at more than what I have told you. You will find the answer. Maybe not today. But someday it will come to you."_

"_That's not fair! What if I will never find out! What if my life passes by and nothing comes to mind! I need to know why you were my Angel of Music, and this entire time you were a man. A human! And you didn't mention it at all!" Christine exclaimed, her voice rising. She knew very well that she had a temper and when messed with it and her patience, she would lash out at anyone._

_Erik glared at her. "Christine, I told you! If you do not figure it out I will have to tell you, but please Christine, not tonight. If you must know, I came to you because you were alone. You were distraught with the death of your father so I came. I could hear the potential in your voice and I taught you. But that is not why I am still here. Something else happened. Please, Christine, calm down. You will learn. But not tonight." Erik sighed and glared at her, hoping she would give up, but doubting she would._

_Christine scowled. "Not tonight, not tonight, not tonight! Of course not because I'm just a "child" and I won't understand it! Yes tonight, I want to know! What do I have that draws you to me? Why is it that you keep watch over me and you refuse to let me go?" she inquired._

_Erik walked past her, and then turned and glowered at her. "I do not think you are a child Christine! As a matter of fact it is quite the opposite! But yet, you act like a child. Christine, learn patience! I told you not tonight, but that shows that one day I will! I will tell you but not tonight, and if you can't wait for it, it won't be anytime soon! You have to be patient."_

"_Yes, start giving me a speech on patience, will you? I've been patient long enough, don't you think? Eighteen years of waiting is more than enough for me to learn patience. Why do you mix up my thoughts even though I already am as confused as ever? I cannot even fit anything else in my mind for this thinking! I just can't!" she cried out and sighed in exasperation._

_"Christine, please! If you have waited this long, then surely you can wait longer. You are confused now but if I were to tell you, you would be overwhelmed. That is why you do not see it yet! I need you to wait, Christine. Please, would you just trust me? That's all I am asking. Just wait."_

_Christine sighed and ran her fingers through her brown curls. "Fine. I'll wait. I'll wait, but I will not wait later than the new year." She thought about what he said. "I'll trust you. But I still do not see how anything could possibly overwhelm me."_

_Erik sighed and looked away from her. "Thank you, Christine." He approached the mirror and put his hand on it. "Christine, do you need me any longer, for the moment?" Erik hoped his question wouldn't upset her. But she had been crying. He didn't want to leave her if she didn't want to be alone._

_She almost muttered 'I never did' under her breath but didn't. She would forgive him. Of course she would. She had done nothing wrong and she was the one who began yelling at him for no reason. "Just a moment…" she said. Then she walked up to him and embraced him. "I'm sorry," Christine whispered and pressed her lips to his neck._

_Erik froze. Never before had anyone done this. But then he wrapped his arms around her and held her to him. "I'm sorry that I can't tell you. I'm so sorry, Christine." He kissed her hair gently, wishing he would never have to let her go._

_Christine felt warm in the embrace and she could hear his heart beating, going faster than usually it should be, but she smiled. "You don't have to apologize. You haven't don't anything wrong. I shouldn't have gotten angry," she whispered, laying her head on his chest._

_Erik knew she could hear his quick heart rate but for some reason he didn't mind. But he knew she was wrong. He had done a lot of things wrong. Things he would regret forever. He never should have dragged her into his loneliness. She truly had every right to be angry. He held her gently, as though he feared he would break her. "Don't be sorry, Christine."_

_She broke from the hug, looked at him and smiled. "I have yet to figure out what you're hiding behind that mask of yours. Perhaps I will find out at soon as I find out what you want from me," she said with a grin._

_Erik almost smiled as he looked at her, and nodded. "Perhaps, Christine." He wouldn't be showing her, but he might as well humor her. Then he turned and with one last, longing look at her, slipped through the mirror and closed it, stalking through the long hall._

Erik pulled himself out of his thoughts and stood from the chair. Immediately he began to pace the long area, feeling angry though he couldn't explain why. By some point he forced himself to sit and to calm down. He could not wreck this place, as he had nearly done several years ago. He shook his head. "Christine, why did you have to leave me?" He almost thought he heard her answer. Somewhere in his head he heard her voice, but he knew he was hallucinating. But why had she left him? When he made it so clear he needed her, needed her more than anything? He had told her he loved her, just because she wanted him to, even though he knew it was a bad idea. But he had confessed his love for her, and yet it meant nothing to her. She had run off to that fop, even though said fop had not shown as much love for her as he had. He shook his head.

* * *

_Erik leaned his head against the cool mirror as he waited for Christine. She would want to know today. He slammed his head against the mirror again. Why was he such a coward? Because he was afraid she wouldn't love him back. He sighed softly and looked up into her room._

_Christine entered her room once again after a long night. But this time, there was no performance. It was her eighteenth birthday and she had a long night out at the annual New Year's Ball at the opera house. The New Year also meant her birthday for her birthday was the first day in every year. She was anxious to get back to her room because she remembered Erik's words. He'll tell her why he needed her and why he was always there for her. She and Erik had met many more times than the time she began yelling at him. In those times, however, she had managed to see that he was more than the Phantom of the Opera, but he had a heart. "Erik? Are you there?" she whispered loudly._

_"Yes, Angel," Erik spoke quietly. He pushed open the mirror gently and looked at her wearily. But then, he took her hand and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her. "Happy Birthday, Christine."_

_Christine smiled and put her hands on his arms. "Thank you. I'm glad you remembered," she said, looking up at him. Suddenly, she remembered that he had promised to tell her the reason for his comings and goings. She was going to find out and she was a bit nervous. She didn't know what she would be hearing. "Erik..."_

_Erik sighed heavily and shook his head. "Christine...I will not make you wait any longer, but I truly wish you had seen this on your own." He looked at her, studying her young eyes, her beautiful face. Gently he laid her hand on her cheek and whispered, "Christine, I love you."_

_Christine felt her heart race. Her eyes widened a bit and she was in shock. She hadn't exactly expected this but she felt like she was a bit relived. There was only one question going on through her head. Why? "Erik…why?" she inquired softly. "Why do you love me?"_

_Erik shook his head at her, for how could there be a reason. He had fallen in love with her, because of her music, her stubbornness and attitude, as well as her softness and kindness. "Everything about you makes me love you. How could one not do so? I love you."_

_Christine blushed and didn't know how to respond. She looked up at him and smiled again. "Erik…I think…I think there's something you might want to know also. You've managed to mesmerize and intrigue me," she said, and took a deep breath, not knowing how to continue. "I think…I've…somehow…kind of…fallen…for you too. I don't know how or when, but I did and I'm glad you…told me when you did."_

_Erik tilted his head at her and considered her blush, her words. She loved him. How was this possible? But she did. He touched her face gently with his finger, "Is what you say true Christine? Have you really..." he trailed off quietly, studying her with gentle eyes._

"_I think so. I'm almost positive," she replied. Had she fallen in love with him? Was it even possible? She didn't even fully know how he looked like, and yet, she fell in love with his personality and his mysterious features. Christine had always loved mysteries. "Erik, do not think that someone cannot ever want to be with you. And if you do think that and if it's true, then I have gone against the rules of it and say that I do want to be with you."_

_Erik took a step closer to her. "No, I don't think that. I wish nothing more than for you to be with me, and I certainly hope you don't think differently." Erik moved closer to her and caressed her cheek gently._

_Christine looked into his blue eyes and felt her heart skip a beat. "Erik…I want to be with you forever…" she mumbled under her breath and put her hand on his cheek, taking his from hers. Finally, she touched her lips to his and threw her other around his neck._

_Erik froze for a moment in shock, but almost immediately kissed her back. He put his hands on her waist gently and pulled her closer to him. He never wanted to let go._

_Christine then released the hand that was on his cheek and threw it around his neck as well. She held on tight and refused to let go yet. She felt so connected to him in this kiss and she peeked at him once before closing her eyes again to see what his reaction was. To Christine, this was her first kiss ever other than the few light cheek kisses she and Raoul would share when they were younger. This was something special._

_Erik couldn't find it in him to let go of her. This was the first time anyone had ever shown any kind of true love to him, ever allowed themselves so close to his face, his mask. His hands held her close, but gently. He did not fear of breaking her, though he feared of letting her go. For the first time in his life he felt he was connected to some one._

_Christine felt she couldn't breathe anymore and she drew back, but only a few inches from his face. She let her hands rest on his shoulders. "Erik, do you love me? Do you really love me?" she dared asking, catching her breath._

_Erik looked into her eyes, breathless, and answered, "Yes, Christine, yes. So much. Do you love me as well?" He still had not released her, and he did not have any intention of doing so, at least not soon._

_Christine nodded. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be…" Then she blushed, realizing that this was her first kiss. It was her eighteenth birthday and her first kiss. It was the best birthday gift she ever could've received. "I do love you, Erik. Now I see why you kept coming to me. I'm sorry I yelled at you so much because of it. It was worth the wait. Perhaps you are wiser than me, after all," she teased and laid her head on his chest, but not before giving him one more kiss._

_Erik couldn't resist smiling at her blush. She was so beautiful. Erik kissed her hair gently, and sighed in content. "I'm sorry I made you wait. I love you so much."_

"_And I love you, my dear," she said, then almost gasped at the slip of her words. But she grinned and closed her eyes. She wasn't tired at all but just wanted to imagine how it would be to live with Erik forever. It would be so perfect because he loved her so much and she knew, and she loved him in return. The atmosphere around them was purely romantic and Christine never wanted the night to end._

_Erik was unable to suppress a grin at her words. She truly made him happy. They would never part, surely she wouldn't want to. They'd be together always; Erik would do his best to keep it that way, as long as it was what Christine wanted. He leaned down and kissed her forehead._

"_Erik, I know it's very late and even though I am not tired, I need to sleep something the rest of the night. Will you…will you stay with me? At least until I fall asleep? My room is locked and nobody will enter to see you," Christine said looking up at him._

_"Of course I will, Christine. I won't leave you if you don't want me to. Come and sleep, I'll stay with you." Erik finally removed his hands from her waist. He clutched one of her hands and nodded towards the bed._

_At first, she didn't want to lie down on her bed. She wanted to stay in Erik's arms forever, but she knew she eventually had to let go. He'd be there for her when she wakes up, perhaps and she'd be safe. "Sing me that song. The one that I heard when you took me with you," Christine asked as she pulled the blanket to her chin. "But first…" She wrapped her arms around her neck when he sat down on her bed and kissed his lips again, pulling him lower towards her. She feeling was so wonderful, she needed to feel his lips once more._

_When their lips parted he laid his hand on her arm gently. He whispered his song softly, "Christine, you have made a choice. One that has affected us both. Listen to me, my love. I will stay." He gently leaned down and kissed her again, and then ran his hand against her arm gently._

_Christine felt so passionate about the entire situation. She loved kissing him and wanted to kiss him every time she'd see him. "Erik, can you lie down next to me? Can you watch me until I fall asleep?" she asked sheepishly. She didn't know how far she'd go, but she hoped it would stop there._

_Erik smiled and nodded at her gently. Then he slipped next to her easily and kissed her once again. "Do you wish for me to leave when you fall asleep?" he asked softly._

_Christine thought. She didn't know if she wanted him to leave. Her heart was telling her to keep him with her but her mind was opposing it. "No. I want you to stay until two hours after sunrise. No one will bother me now until midday. Will you stay?" she inquired softly._

_"Of course I will, Christine," he whispered to her. "I love you so much. I won't leave you."_

"_Thank you," she whispered back and lay on her side, staring at him with loving eyes. "I love you so much too, Erik." Again, she pressed her lips upon his._

_Erik clutched her hand as he continued to kiss her. After several moments he pulled away from her and looked into her beautiful brown eyes. He squeezed her hand and smiled at her gently._

"_Goodnight," she whispered softly and then laid her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and hoped to have only her Angel of Music singing songs in her head that night._

_"Goodnight, my angel," he whispered back, and he watched her sleep in silence._


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: This was once again written by the two of us, me and kristygirl4u. She wrote Christine's parts and I wrote Erik's and Raoul's. This chapter is really long...Review please!!!! Neither of us own The Phantom of the Opera!!**

* * *

Raoul had been the first person she ever felt something for, wasn't he? She had always planned out on marrying him and living with him forever. He was her freedom and comfort. She could be whoever she wanted to be with him and he'd never get upset. So then, why didn't she feel relived to have married him?

_"Oh, Raoul, I wish it didn't have to be this way. I wish Father never would've died and then I'd remain here my entire life," Christine said, her voice trembling as she met up with Raoul in their secret hiding place, in a hollow tree._

_Raoul smiled despairingly at her and brushed back some of her hair. "I wish the same. I wish you would stay here with me forever. There is nothing else I want more than that." He reached for her hand and gripped it tightly, blinking back tears, trying to stay strong. He didn't want her to cry, but she would probably start if he did._

_Christine squeezed his other hand when she grabbed it. "Raoul, I'm scared about what's going to happen. I'm still so young and I've never left from home. You were my only family that I had. The only one who took me in when I was seven and I don't want to leave it all behind," she said, then buried her head in his chest, sobbing._

_Raoul released her hands and wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't stop the tears that fell from his eyes now; he didn't want her to leave. "I-it'll be okay. You don't have to be afraid, you'll be fine. I know it. It'll be okay. It'll all be okay, because you're strong and you'll be fine."_

"_I don't want to be away from you. Raoul, I don't want to leave you," Christine sobbed, looking up at him. "I'll never see you again."_

_"No. No, we'll see each other again someday. We will, we've got to. I know it." Raoul rubbed her back gently. He leaned towards her until their foreheads touched. "I don't know when or how, but I know we will."_

"_How do you know? How do you know that tomorrow, neither of us will be gone forever?" she inquired. "I'm going to the opera dormitories and you are not allowed there. You cannot be allowed in the opera house at all unless you are in the audience of a performance."_

_"I don't know how. But I know I'll see you again. I promise." And then, very quickly Raoul kissed her on the lips, and then pulled back and stared at her more tears forming in his eyes._

_Christine shivered at the thought of never seeing him again, but closed her eyes as she leaned on his again. She tried so hard to not let any more tears fall, but it was difficult. "I hope you're right, Raoul."_

_Raoul sighed. "I hope I'm right as well, Christine," he spoke at lower than a whisper._

* * *

Christine had been so happy to see Raoul again. She had never been more excited in her life than when she saw that Raoul was to be the patron of the opera house. What luck she had! She had seen her beloved friend again!

_The night after her first performance as the lead, Christine could only twirl the rose in her hand and smile at it. Erik had given it to her because he was pleased. Madame Giry had said so, and she knew it also. But one thing that she couldn't get off her mind was the fact that Raoul had seen her first leading performance. She was thrilled that he had been there for her._

_Raoul entered Christine's dressing room with the flowers he had just taken from the managers. He smiled brightly and spoke as he approached her. "Little Lotte let her mind wander. Little Lotte thought, 'Am I fonder of dolls or of goblins or of shoes?'"_

_Christine instantly turned her head to the voice. She grinned as she waited for him. "Raoul," she said, withholding her excitement._

_Raoul laughed slightly and put down the flowers as he said, "Or of riddles or frocks?" He smiled at her, happier than he had been in years, having waited so long to see her. She had sung beautifully tonight._

_Christine giggled at the thought of 'Little Lotte'. "Those picnics in the attic," she remembered. They had a swell time setting up their picnics up in the attic when it would rain outside._

_"Or of chocolates?" Raoul smiled as he looked at her perfect beauty._

_"Father playing the violin," Christine said, thinking of the times her father would play the violin while it would rain outside and the two children would play._

_"As we read to each other dark stories of the north?" He remembered hearing and reading the stories, how much the two of them had loved them._

_Christine grinned. "No... 'What I love best', Lotte said, 'is when I'm asleep in my bed, and the Angel of Music sings songs in my head," Christine said, quoting the story._

_"The Angel of Music sings songs in my head," Raoul said. As he hugged her he said, "Oh, you sang like an angel tonight."_

_She searched his eyes as he knelt down at her knees. "Father said, 'When I'm in heaven, child, I will send the Angel of Music to you.' Well, Father is dead, Raoul, and I have been visited by the Angel of Music," she said excitedly, wanting to tell Raoul about Erik, but then didn't think it was such a great idea._

_"You must have been. Your voice is so perfect; I've never heard anything like it. Christine, I always told you we'd see each other again," Raoul said with a smile._

"_Oh, Raoul, I wouldn't believe it. After five years I lost hope, but here you are, in front of me," she said with a grin. "I missed you and everything that had to do with home." She wrapped her arms around his neck in an embrace._

_"I missed you as well. I missed you so much." Raoul pulled back slightly from her and put his hands on her shoulders._

"_So then this means that you will always be at the opera house? For every single performance you'll watch me?" she inquired hopefully._

_"Every performance, Christine. I don't plan to be leaving anytime soon."_

_Christine smiled and leaned back in her chair. She thought about how much she always looked up to him as an older brother and hero and later on, as a person she began to feel attracted to. Now, she completely forgot about Erik and focused only on Raoul and their childhood. What had become of it, and were the feelings still there? "Raoul, remember before I left, we…shared a moment? Remember how you never wanted to let me go? Do you still feel that way, Raoul?" she dared to inquire._

_Raoul remembered how much he had thought of her since she had left. How he had always regretted letting her go, and how he would travel back to that last moment between them. "I remember that moment very clearly. My feelings have never changed. I never wanted to let you go, and now that I see you again I still feel the same."_

"_Oh, Raoul, so do I. I was sure I'd never see you again, but now, I can believe that anything can happen. But I'll admit, I stopped thinking about you after a year because you were so far away and I didn't want to remember anything of my past. It hurt too much," Christine confessed._

_"I understand. I do believe I would have been upset if I heard you stayed distraught by it. It brings me joy to know you've been okay," Raoul caressed her cheek gently._

"_Yes, I've healed from it, but now, you're here again, and I hope you'll be here for a long time. I don't think I would be able to go through with it anymore. It's bad enough I lost my father and that I was alone, but then I lost you, my only friend who believed in me more than I believed in myself," Christine told him softly._

_"Oh, Christine," Raoul breathed. "I won't leave you again, I promise." He sighed quietly and looked at her. "You won't ever be alone again if I have anything to say about it."_

"_I hope so, Raoul, I hope so," she whispered and kissed his cheek. "I'm very thrilled that you came to me instead of me having to go look for you. I never know how much work someone puts in a performance. You do know that this was my first lead performance?" she asked, proudly._

_"I'm impressed, Christine," Raoul said sincerely. "Why they had not made you the lead before now, I'll never know."_

"_I've been taking lessons from E"- she paused then changed her mind. "From a great teacher. I know music better than most of the chorus girls now."_

_He studied her and wondered why she had not told him her great teacher's name, but then smiled. "A great teacher, you say? He's taught you well, it seems."_

"_Extremely well. I don't mean for it to sound like I'm boasting. I meant to say that he is a very good music teacher," she said, hoping he hadn't noticed the mistake that she was about to give away Erik's name._

_"I understand. You never boasted, but your voice is beautiful," Raoul spoke gently and truthfully._

"_Thank you, Raoul. You don't change much, do you? You're still kind, honest, sweet…" she said with a giggle._

_He grinned at her. "I'm glad I can still make you smile," he said, his voice barely above a whisper._

"_You can always make me smile, no matter what. You know that," she told him._

_"I do know," Raoul took her hand and held it gently in his._

_"I wouldn't lie to you, Christine. I still feel the same as I did so many years ago, before you left," Raoul squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes._

"_Oh, Raoul," she sighed and hugged him tightly again, and breathed in his scent. She stood up and so did he and she held on tighter. "I really did miss you too."_

_Raoul held her gently, his hand on the small of her back. "I missed you so much," he whispered into her ear._

"_So..." Christine began._

_Raoul pulled back slightly from her, "And now, Christine, we go to celebrate," Raoul's voice was filled with joy as he stood and began to head for the door._

"_Wait, Raoul, I can't," she said, grabbing his arm. "The Angel of Music is very strict."_

_Raoul looked at her hands, that clutched his arm, and then into her eyes. With a small smile, he said, "Well I shan't keep you up late." With that he gently pulled out of Christine's grip and once again headed to the door._

"_Raoul, no," Christine protested. She became very nervous at his convincing tone. She wouldn't be able to resist it, but Erik wouldn't like her out with any man. Especially not with Raoul._

_Raoul laughed slightly and looked at her, "You must change. I'll order my carriage. Two minutes, Little Lotte." Raoul walked out of the door quickly, not giving her time to argue._

"_No…Raoul, wait!" she cried out, but it was no use. He wasn't listening. She sighed and knew she was going to end up going with him anyway, so she pulled out her white lace gown and dressed into it. As she was buttoning her last button, her room suddenly became dark._

_Erik was furious. Simply furious. Not at Christine, of course, but at that boy who came in. As he darkened her room he began to sing to her loudly, from behind the mirror. "Insolent boy, this slave of fashion, basking in your glory. Ignorant fool, this brave young suitor, sharing in my triumph."_

_Christine was afraid. She knew it was Erik and he sounded angry. Not angry; beyond angry. He sounded ready to murder someone. "Angel, I hear you, speak, I listen. Stay by my side, guide me. Angel, my soul was weak, forgive me. Enter at last, master," she sang softly, hoping he wasn't about to lash out at her because of her foolish decision._

_Erik sighed silently, knowing she was afraid. He began to sing back to her, "Flattering child, you shall know me. See why in shadow I hide. Look at my face in the mirror. I am there inside."_

_Christine turned her head towards her mirror. Slowly, she began to make out the distinctive form a person. "Angel of Music, guide and guardian, grant to me your glory. Angel of Music, hide no longer; Come to me, strange Angel," she sang a bit louder, gathering up her courage. She needed Erik to be with her now. She felt like she had betrayed him, but yet, knew she hadn't._

_"I am your Angel of Music. Come to me Angel of Music," Erik sang slightly quieter this time. He heard the stupid Vicomte calling for Christine, but he ignored him and sang louder, calling his love to him. "I am your Angel of Music. Come to me Angel of Music."_

_Christine saw him through the mirror, but could she dare go to him? She walked closer and closer until she touched his fingers and held his hand. "I'm sorry," she whispered._

_Erik nodded once, "I'm not angry with you." His voice was nothing more than a whisper as he studied her eyes._

"_I'm still sorry. I gave him to the temptation of leaving with him. I should've been stronger than that. I should have resisted," Christine said, feeling ashamed of herself._

_Erik didn't like to see her upset and he could tell she felt horrible. "Then I forgive you. Don't be upset, Christine."_

_Her hand was still in his as she looked up at his eyes. "Who are you angry with, then?" she wanted to know._

_Erik sighed quietly, "The boy, the Vicomte. But not you."_

"_Why Raoul, Erik, why?" she insisted upon knowing. "What has he done?"_

_Erik studied her for a moment before answering, "I'm angry with him because he would not listen to you. You told him you couldn't come, but he ignored you. I suppose I don't like the way he treated you."_

"_He hasn't met with me in a very long time and therefore, he doesn't know me like he used to. He was simply excited to see me and spend some time with me," Christine covered up for Raoul. She didn't know why she had to lie to Erik, but she did._

_Erik nodded; he still didn't like him but he couldn't do anything about it. "Perhaps his excitement will die down, and I will see more appropriate behavior in him."_

"_Perhaps…" her voice trailed off. But she knew the truth. The excitement wouldn't die down. Raoul was still in love with her and she knew that when he said something, he wouldn't change his mind until death interfered_

_Erik gently pulled her through the mirror and began to lead her down the hall. He was silent as he looked back at her._

_She wanted to know what he was thinking. His face was expressionless and she had no idea of knowing if he was frustrated, or angry, or content… "Erik, do you love me?" she decided upon asking._

_Erik was surprised that she had asked this but he kept his emotionless semblance. "Yes. Haven't I told you that before?"_

"_You have," she agreed. "But I just don't feel your love anymore like I used to. Love used to make me feel so…free and impossibly ardent about singing and I still do love to sing, but now it seems more like a chore rather than anything else. There's something missing from our love," Christine said softly._

_Erik studied her sadly. Yes, there was something different lately. "I'm sorry, Christine," he whispered. And he meant it. He wasn't just saying words to try to soothe her. He wished he could do something about it, he just wasn't sure what._

"_I am too, Erik. If only I knew what the matter was, then I could try to patch it up somehow. I don't want to lose you," she said, staying close to him as they continued on with their journey to his lair._

_"I don't want to lose you either," Erik sighed. They would reach the lake soon. Perhaps they could fix it tonight, and he could love her the way he used to, with all of his heart and his mind._

_Christine was very confused. Not about the situation, but her own feelings were needed to be questioned. She loved Erik, she truly did, but how does Raoul fit into the picture? Two men were in love with her, but she could only love one. One will have to have a broken heart. Which one did she really love? She needed to spend more time with Raoul to understand how the years have changed him and how they haven't. She wanted to spend more time with Raoul. But why? "Erik, why are you taking me to your…home, now?" she wondered. After all, he was the one who began this._

_"Perhaps we will be able to rectify our situation," Erik spoke softly. He worried for Christine, afraid she would get herself hurt. He knew she could take care of herself, but that wouldn't stop him from worrying._

"_I do not know what could be done. Things will change drastically, and I know it, unless either Raoul stops loving me or you do. Nothing else could be done, exactly," Christine told him. She wasn't about to give up on Erik. He was someone that could take care of her and love her always, but she would never feel free in the way she always had._

_"We will figure it out. By some point, everything will turn out okay. But I'm not going to stop loving you." Erik tilted his head at her as the lake came into view._

_She didn't argue further about Raoul or he might get the hint that she was beginning to like Raoul once again, but with stronger feelings than before. "We'll see what happens in the future."_

_Erik nodded once and then motioned for her to sit in the boat. He loved her more than anything, but he feared the Vicomte would get in the way of them._

_Christine was afraid to talk. Her voice kept wavering when she would talk about her relationship with Raoul. She secretly hoped she wouldn't see him anymore, no matter how much she would want to. Erik loved her and she loved Erik and she wanted it to stay that way._

_Erik sighed as he looked at her. He wanted her to be happy, and he wondered if she was able to be with two lovers in her life. He wished he could do something, something to make it easier for her._

_Christine heard him sigh and she sighed also. She was hardly eighteen and she was already faced with these complicated decisions. "I do love you," she whispered._

_"I love you as well," he whispered back. He was determined not to make this any more complicated than it already was, though he knew it was bound to get worse._

_The second they set foot on solid ground, Christine looked up at him with sad eyes and she thought her heart would burst. She kissed him softly on the lips and waited for him to respond to her actions, hoping love would spark between them again as it had long ago._

_Erik held her arms gently and kissed her back, wanting their love and passion to scorch through them again. But could it? Would it ever?_

_She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against him, feeling his body giving off heat, but continued the kiss. What was going to happen? What would happen if she suddenly stopped caring? The poor creature who loves her so much would be so lonely that he would die._

_Erik put his hands on the small of her neck and pressed her closer to him, loving her as much as ever. But did she? He truly needed her but if she didn't want him...he really didn't know what he would do._

_Christine's lips parted from his, but only a few inches were separating them. She looked into his loving deep blue eyes and for a moment felt hypnotized as she once did long ago, when she had first seen him. His eyes were so piercing that anyone could hardly take their eyes from his. "Erik, did I ever say how beautiful your eyes are to me?" she whispered as if someone was listening in on them. Her fingers touched his lips as she looked at them, then back into his eyes._

_Erik could not find the words to say to her, and he simply smiled. Not often was he left speechless, but she had no idea what she did to him. Her eyes and her voice could have brought him to his knees._

_The mask was all that was bothering Christine. No matter how long he loved her, he wouldn't take off his mask, and Christine, being a very curious person, could not stand any longer like this. "What is under your mask? What do you hide from me?" she questioned softly._

_He almost wanted to tell her. But he couldn't. Love was blind, she didn't need to see. She wanted to, and he longed to give her everything she wanted. But not this. No one could ever see what was under his mask, for those who had, had laughed and scoffed at him. "I don't want you to see what is there. You don't need that image burned in your mind forever."_

"_Erik, please, let allow me to see what you are afraid to let me see. There will be no image to be burned into my mind. Nothing you have can hinder me, my dear," Christine said, placing her fingers on his mask._

_Slowly, Erik raised his hand and took her fingers off of the mask, sliding them to his chest, where he held them. Erik wished what she said was true. But how could the monster behind the mask not hinder her? "No, Christine," he whispered to her. He knew he had to change the subject and distract her. Nothing else would make her give up on the mask. He couldn't let her see. Softly, he began to sing with her, putting his love for her into his music. "Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination..."_

_Christine lowered her eyes in disappointment as her fingers were drawn apart from the white veil that covered half of his face. She heard his voice ringing in her ears ever so softly and then looked up at him again as he continued singing to her. She pressed the palm of her hand flat on the shirt of his chest._

_"Silently the senses abandon their defenses," Erik's voice grew softer for a moment, but then became a little louder as he looked into her eyes. "Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor. Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender. Turn your face away from the garish light of day, turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light. And listen to the music of the night."_

_Christine indeed wanted ever so dearly to listen to the music of the night; of that night. His voice would be the only thing able to calm down her spirit and stop her mind from letting her thoughts run away. What was Erik trying to tell her about 'night'? Yes, it was beautiful in its time, but 'night' was also horrid, wretched, and miserable…_

_"Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams." Erik took her hand and held it gently as he sang, "Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before. Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar. And you'll live as you've never lived before..." He held her hand and began to lead her near his organ._

_She followed him. She had no more will power to stop herself from doing anything that night. When she heard him hit that high note, she closed her eyes like he said to felt very relaxed._

_"Softly, deftly, music shall caress you." Erik gently pulled her close to him, staring into her eyes. "Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you. Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind, in this darkness which you know you cannot fight. The darkness of the music of the night."_

_Christine didn't know if she could bear it anymore. His voice was so mesmerizing and so beautiful that she wanted to hear as much of it as possible. Music had its own depth of darkness and she knew it. He was so close to her, she thought he would kiss her, but he didn't. She prepared for a kiss, but he only neared her and nothing else. She closed her eyes again and listened to his voice._

_"Let your mind start a journey new world," Erik's voice rose as he sang to her, stepping around the candlesticks. Everything he ever needed was here, and he truly was the richest man in the world at this very moment. "Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be. Only then can you belong to me." Erik reached her and touched his fingertips to her chin, and then lowered his hands to her arms._

_Christine drew in an acute breath, then felt her heart stop while he touched her arms. It wasn't so usual for physical touch between a man and a woman to occur unless the moment was intense and Christine could certainly feel the intensity_

_Erik turned her slowly, pressing her body against him, feeling her waist. "Floating, falling, sweet intoxication." Erik brought her hand to his cheek pressing it against his skin. "Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation." He pulled her hand down and clutched it as she turned to him. He began to lead her again, gesturing to the room. "Let the dream begin! Let your darker side give in, to the power of the music that I write. The power of the music of the night..." Erik led her further, watching her eyes._

_Christine's eyes widened as she saw what was in the room. When he moved the curtain and she saw better, her mouth opened lightly and she gasped softly. Before her was an exact replica of herself as a mannequin. It had a golden tiara and a white veil hanging down, covering the pale face of the statue. It was so overwhelming that suddenly, everything went black and Christine felt herself falling and falling…_

_Erik caught her quickly, lifting her into his arms. He carried her to the bed and laid her down, singing to her, "You alone can make my song take flight." He leaned over her and ran his hand over her chin. "Help me make the music of the night." He stood slowly and pulled down the curtain allowing it to fall around her._

_Christine couldn't hear anything, nor see anything. She had fainted. All the emotions inside of her had overflowed and she couldn't keep them hidden anymore. Her head was spinning and she hadn't known what decisions to make or who wanted to ever be with. It was all too much for her._

_Erik watched her beautiful form for a moment before turning and heading back to his organ. He sat down and put his head in his hands, feeling overwhelmed. She was so beautiful and perfect, and where did he fit in her life? Erik let out a sigh and dropped his hands, glancing back at the bed. He shook his head. He loved her so much; she didn't have any idea of the extent of it._


	6. Chapter 6

Erik had begun to pace the floor of his lair again, wishing music would enter his head. But it didn't. His mistakes...There had been too many. He had gotten so angry when Christine had taken his mask off, that he had completely lost his temper with her. It had been truly unreasonable. He did not condone her behavior, but he had been so must worse. He regretted it so much.

_Christine opened her eyes slowly and she looked around her. She was in a bed! But where was she? A music box was beside her on a little stool, playing. What had happened the previous evening? Was it still night? She sat up and saw that around the bed was a curtain. She saw a rope and pulled it, hoping the curtain would be taken away somehow. She was right and as soon as the curtain went up, she stood up and heard the organ playing in the distance. "I remember there was mist; swirling mist upon a vast glassy lake. There were candles all around and in the lake there was a boat," she sang softly as she walked around a bit. She saw the lake and the boat. "And in the boat there was a man." Then she turned her gaze to where the organ music was coming from. Erik was there._

_Erik heard her mesmerizing voice ringing out and stopped playing his music. He looked back at her, noting her perfectly beautiful features. He turned back to his music, his emotions filling him. Just the sight of her, the sound of her, sent his mind racing._

_She walked towards the direction of the organ, and then began singing again, more loudly. "Whose is that shape in the shadows? Whose is that face in the mask?" She put her hand to his left cheek, and she made sure his eyes were closed. She even dreamt at night about the mystery under his mask. She was going to go insane if she didn't know what he was hiding. With her other hand, Christine carefully tucked her fingertips in the mask and pulled it off quickly._

_Panic and anger surged like a lightning bolt through Erik. He covered his face with his hand and shoved Christine to the ground, shouting profanities as her. "You little prying Pandora! You little demon! This is what you wanted to see!" He ripped the curtain off of a mirror, taking his hand down for a moment before returning it and continuing to shout. "Curse you! You little lying Delilah! You little viper. Now you cannot ever be free!" He shouted more profanities at her and knocked a candle stick down, "Curse you..."_

_Christine was shaking from fear and hope that he wouldn't harm her. She had never seen him this angry before and didn't know if it was worth what she had done. She saw what was under his mask and Erik was not exaggerating the least bit when he said that only horrors were under there. She had never seen such disfigurement in her entire life and she wasn't sure if she was more frightened by his anger or what she had seen._

_Erik walked away from the mirror and let out a sigh. "Why, Christine? Why?" He let out a soft moan._

_She had a tear roll down her cheek as she heard the pain in Erik's voice. She knew he would be very angry with her but she couldn't help herself. She needed to know what was under his mask and now she knew. She couldn't respond to him, but let a small sob escape her lips._

_Erik was horrified. Why would she take off his mask? He had warned her of what was under there. And now she feared him. He had heard the sob escape her and he was simply angrier. She was horrified by what was under there. She never should have seen it. She never should have seen the monster that was there. "Tell me, Christine," his voice was soft and he worked hard to keep a growl out of it. "Why did you do this? Why did you do this when I told you? I told you that it was something horrible. Why, Christine?" He felt hot tears sliding down his face but he couldn't stop them. He was turned from Christine and he knew she couldn't see them, and they continued to fall incessantly._

_His words burned against her and she only cried more and this time let herself sob loudly. She pulled her knees to her chest and laid her head down, there, on the floor where she was pushed. She felt awful for what she had done. She shouldn't have and she hated the fact that curiosity always got the best of her. Why couldn't she control that stinging feeling when she needed to know something? "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she sobbed and didn't know if he heard her or not._

_Erik heard her soft words, though they were barely audible mixed with her sobs. He allowed himself to look back at her from over his shoulder and he let out an audible sob as he saw her lying on the ground. He turned very slowly and walked to her, keeping his hand covering his deformation. "Give me my mask, Christine." His voice choked up but he didn't care. The pain of seeing her in this state was worse than anything he had ever felt._

_She felt her heart twist when she heard that he was crying also. Christine realized that it killed him that she had seen his true figure. She reached for the white mask that she had dropped when was shoved to the floor and handed it over to him slowly. Her face was pink from crying and she knew it, but when she saw tears in his eyes, she had to bite her lips to keep from crying all over again. "Erik…I don't…" she stopped, unable to continue._

_Erik couldn't suppress another moan at the sight of her. It pained him to see her so upset, and he wished she had never done this. He took his mask and turned from her to put it back on. Then he turned back to her and lowered himself to the ground slowly until he was kneeling next to her. And gently he reached over and brushed some of her hair away from her face. Then he ran his thumb across her cheek, brushing off her tears. He shook his head at her and let out another sob._

_She looked up at him with pained eyes and one more tear dropped unto her white dress. She was breathing through her mouth and hoped that she would stop crying. She knew it would do no good. "Erik, I'm so sorry. I should have…I should have listened. I didn't want to…upset you or anyone else. I'm so sorry," she repeated, her words breaking._

_Erik felt more tears slide down his face at her apology and her eyes. It caused him physical pain to see such hurt in her eyes. "I shouldn't have lost my temper with you," he managed to whisper. "I am so sorry. I love you so much."_

_Christine pulled back and looked at his wet face. She wiped his tears. "Erik, please, stop crying," she said with a small laugh. "I know it does either of us no good. You need not cry for me or for what I've seen. I may be only a girl but I am stronger than you think. Actually, you probably know."_

_"I know. I know you're strong." Erik did manage to stop crying. To hear her laugh made him feel elated. He let out a sigh and whispered, "Oh, Christine."_

"_What? What is it, my dear? What do you want me to do now? I'm afraid that I cannot forget what I've seen, but I am yet with you still. Do not fear me leaving you, for I shan't. Not yet, at least," Christine said with a wry smile._

_"Don't you ever leave me," Erik touched her cheek and smiled at her gently. "I love you, Christine."_

_She couldn't bring herself up to say that she loved him in return. It felt odd for her to say it now. She will, but not yet. Not until she revived from these moments. "I won't leave you. I promise," she said, wishing it were true. She hoped it was. Raoul would get in the way and she couldn't say she felt sorry for that. Christine wasn't sure why, but she wanted to be with Raoul once again._

_Erik caught the fact that she hadn't said that she loved him and it hurt him. He knew that she would be hurt after seeing him lose his temper and seeing his face. But she was the only one who had ever seen him so vulnerable. It was killing him. He loved her so much. "Thank you for that, Christine. Even if that was the only thing you gave me then surely I would be the happiest man on the planet."_

"_Yes…" her voice trailed. She smiled, but then looked away. "It is morning, is it not? I must have slept throughout the entire night, haven't I? And the song you sang was so beautiful, Erik."_

_"Thank you, Christine. It is morning, I believe." He let out a sigh as he looked at her. "I assume you wish to return?"_

"_Not exactly. Well, yes, but certain people might be looking for me. Carlotta left, you know, and they are already distraught over her, though, many personally despise her," Christine told him._

_"Carlotta did leave, but I fear she may be returning soon. Do you wish to return now, Christine? You didn't make yourself very clear, my dear," Erik spoke softly._

"_My apologies. Yes, I'd better return now," Christine said, getting up. "Again, I'm sorry, Erik, for what I did. I regret it." On whose part? Because of him or because of me? Christine thought._

_Erik got up with her, and spoke, "And I am sorry as well." More sorry than she'd ever know. "Then, come. Those fools who run my theater will be very curious about where you have been." He took her hand gently to lead her out._

Erik remembered the first time he truly saw that she was in love with the Vicomte as well. She had taken the boy up to the roof and Erik had seen her betrayal. She had hurt him beyond what a human being should hurt. She had broken his heart, by showing a love for the Vicomte.

"_Raoul, you're not safe here," Christine said in a tone of voice that was urging and afraid. After the horror that had taken place she didn't know who the Phantom of the Opera truly was. Could he have been the man she once loved so dearly? Loved. It was in past tense. She didn't know if she loved him anymore. All she could think of at that moment was to get Raoul out of the opera house._

_Raoul nodded, though he was not entirely sure why she was afraid. Surely she knew he would protect her. He followed her up the steps quickly. "Why have you brought me here?" he asked her._

"_We can't go back there, Raoul. He'll kill you. He sees everything that goes on. If he has to kill a thousand me for me, he will," Christine told him, as they ran up the stairs._

_"We have to go back! Don't say these things, don't even think them. You know I'll keep you safe, Christine!" Raoul followed her, trying to convince her they would be alright._

_Christine just grabbed his arm and led him down a hallway. "No, not from this you can't. The Phantom of the Opera will kill and kill over and over again. Don't you see? He did this. It's his doing," she said with a frightened voice. She had never feared Erik before, but too many "accidents" have occurred and she knew it was all Erik's doing._

_Raoul followed her steadily, "Christine, who is he?! Whose is the voice that you hear? Who, Christine?"_

"_I'll never escape from him. No matter where I go, I can't escape from him. He goes where I go," she told him, already out of breath._

_"If we can't escape from him, why are we running? Surely we would be safer where there are more people! Christine, please explain this to me! What is going on with you?!" Raoul was frantic with fear for his love, and yet he forced himself to remain calm. Of course, everyone was talking about a specific one who committed these acts but surely Christine did not believe all of the nonsense._

"_The Phantom of the Opera is here inside my mind. He always is and always will be. Raoul, if there are more people surrounding us, he'll kill more. He does not know where we are now, I'm sure for we ran before anyone noticed us," Christine told him, then burst through the door and ran unto the rooftop._

_Raoul had to suppress a moan, "There is no Phantom of the Opera."_

"_Yes there is! Raoul, I've been there, to his world of darkness and where daylight simply dissolves. No light ever passes by there. I've seen him too! Oh, how could I ever forget that face and sight? It was so distorted…so deformed…I could hardly tell it was a face anymore." She turned her face away, as if making sure no one else was listening_

_"Oh, Christine," he whispered softly. Could she have really been there, really seen him? Surely it had been nothing more dream._

_There was silence for a while, and then she thought she heard Erik singing softly, but realized it was only the wind. She remembered his voice. "But his voice…it was such a strange and sweet sound. That night, Raoul, there was music in my mind and I felt like it was a dream, but it wasn't. I've never heard anything like his voice before…" her voice trailed. She wouldn't dare ever tell Raoul that she and Erik were once lovers. They were, up until the Vicomte became the opera house's patron and he and Christine were reunited again._

_"Surely, Christine," Raoul's voice was begging of her. "Surely what you heard was a dream and nothing more," Raoul didn't want her to be afraid of this monster and it worried him._

"_No. I was not a dream. I was wide awake and even when I did fall asleep, his voice occupied my thoughts. Yet, in his eyes I saw all the sadness of the world. Those pleading eyes, that both threaten and adore," Christine said, swallowing hard. Yes, his eyes were both menacing and yet loving. She loved his eyes more than anything else. But still, she was afraid. Afraid of him. Of Erik._

_"Christine, Christine..." Raoul spoke, pleading for her to be calm, to not be afraid._

_As soon as Raoul's words were heard, Christine heard a new voice whisper, "Christine…" and she began to panic. Erik was there, somewhere. She didn't want him to be there. She just wanted to be with Raoul, hoping to somehow protect him, but she knew she couldn't. More fear poured into her and she was breathing hard and loudly, her chest going up and down at a fast rate._

_Raoul put his arms onto Christine's shoulders and then pulled her towards him, holding her close. "Don't be afraid, Christine. I'm here."_

_Christine laid her hands on Raoul's and closed her eyes, thinking of those days when Raoul would be her hero and protector. Oh, how she longed for those days again. If her father had never died, things wouldn't be as complicated as they were then. "He's here, Raoul…He won't leave me," she said, her voice shaking._

_You know I won't ever let anyone hurt you," Raoul whispered into her ear. "You know I love you."_

_  
Christine chills going through her as she heard him say those words. "Say you need me with you forever. I don't ever want you to leave me nor I, you. I cannot be without you," she whispered back._

_"I do need you with me forever, Christine. I won't leave you; not ever again will we part. I promise you that." Raoul kissed her hair gently._

_Christine held on to him tightly. She turned around and looked into his eyes to make sure he was perfectly serious. "I want to be free again, like I was before. When I'm afraid, I want you to hold me and hide me from everything that is dark and horrid," she told him, hiding her face in his chest._

_"I will, I swear it," Raoul kissed her hair again, wrapping his arms gently around her body._

_Erik his behind the statue silently but inside he was shouting in agony. How could Christine do this to him? She had told him she loved him. She had been the first and only woman he had ever kissed and yet now...Why?_

"_Do you really promise? Or are you only saying it…" her voice trailed off... "I am still learning to know you; the you I haven't met in many years. How can you love me when I am so new to you and yet, somehow we both feel like the long pause in our life from each other seems like it was only a dream. And now, we have both woken up from it." Her worried and vulnerable eyes searched his. "I love you too, Raoul," she whispered so softly that she hoped her caught it._

_Raoul smiled gently, "I wouldn't only say that, Christine." He brushed some of her hair back gently, "You're the same girl that I once knew. Yes, you've grown but my feelings for you never changed. Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Let me lead you from your solitude."_

_Erik felt his body go weak as she uttered those terrible words to the Vicomte. How could she love that fop?! He loved her so much more than that fop ever could. He leaned his head back in despair._

_Christine felt her heart stop beating. He was asking her to marry him. Would she? So soon? No, but they had planned it since they were merely small children. She knew him so well and she knew he hadn't changed a bit either, except that he was much better looking now. She mumbled the same words he'd said, and then she took a step away from him and intertwined her fingers with his. "Just say the word, and I'll follow you. I'll share with you both a love and a lifetime. Will you?" Christine inquired._

_"I'd do anything for you. Share each day and night with me, Christine. That's all I ask of you," Raoul murmured the words to her, meaning them with all of his being._

Erik felt a single tear escape from his eye. They planned to wed. Christine no longer cared for him, she only cared for that dreadful Vicomte. He had so much more to offer her, why did she choose that boy?

"_Say you love me, one more time," Christine begged in a whisper. She leaned into him and had a calm face and for once that night, she felt free of worries and of her fears. "That's all I ask of you. To love me, Raoul."_

_"You know I do," Raoul whispered into her ear. "I love you."_

_She neared him slowly, looking at his lips then back at him, until their lips met. At first, Christine felt this was something foreign, thinking of Erik, but as soon as she thought of her love for Raoul, she refused to think anymore of the Phantom of the Opera. She threw the rose she had in her hand and wrapped her arms around Raoul's neck._

_Raoul placed his hands on the small of her back at first and then, in complete ecstasy, he lifted her and spun her around. He had longed for so long for this very moment..._

Erik saw them. He saw the way Christine kissed him and several more tears fell but he refused to shed anymore. Why would Christine do this?

_Christine was grinning the entire kiss. She felt so safe and secure with Raoul and was glad that they had the talk on the roof._

_Raoul pulled apart for a moment but immediately kissed her again. She was such an amazing girl, and he truly did love her._

_"Raoul," Christine whispered. "Will you really spend a lifetime with me? With ME?" IT felt too good to be true for her_

_"Of course, I will," Raoul whispered back. "Will you do the same for me?"_

_Christine put her hand at the back of his neck and played with his hair. "I'll never leave you again, my love. I promise you I never will."_

_Raoul smiled at her, "Thank you for that, dear Christine. I swear that I'll never leave you again either."_

"_We must go. They will be looking for me after this "accident" that has happened," she said, grabbing his hand. "Raoul, we must make plans. Order your finest horses and your most beautiful carriage."_

_Erik watched them leave and then stepped forward quietly. He kneeled to his knees and lifted the discarded rose off of the cold ground. He was crying freely now, whispering into the night, "I gave you my music. Made your song take wing. And now, how you've repaid me. Denied me and betrayed me." His horrible sadness was overtaken by rage as he heard the couple singing to each other. He stood and then ran to the statue, standing on top of it, higher than the world. He shouted out, "You will curse the day you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you!"_

_Christine heard his voice. She could hear Erik's voice, but Raoul seemed not to take any notice of it. She didn't know whether it was part of imagination or not, but it was so clear to her ears. She stopped. "Raoul, I forgot something on the rooftop. My rose. It's special to me," she said and when he nodded, she ran back up the stairs. She opened the door slowly and then she saw a man up on the statue on the corner of the roof. She knew perfectly well who it was and what frightened her more was that he had been there the entire time when Raoul had proposed and when they had declared their love for one another._

_Erik jumped down, his cloak flowing around him. He no longer cried, and the cold bit at the uncovered half of his face. Though he planned to depart through a different passage, his eyes rose to see Christine, his beloved Christine. He felt his chest constrict, and his entire body froze, no longer moving. He couldn't move._

_Christine couldn't say a word for a moment. Dear Lord, was he really there when she said she loved Raoul? "I…I left my rose. The one that you gave me. I-" she paused. She didn't know what to say exactly. She felt her face go pale, but it was too dark for Erik to see._

_Erik couldn't speak. He couldn't respond to her. While Erik was not often at a loss for words, he truly had no idea what he could say to her. She came back for the rose she had left. Why would she do that when she clearly cared for him no longer? He could not suppress a grimace at the thought for a moment, but then calmed himself and forced himself to look at her eyes, his stare cold._

_She could see the hurt in his eyes and could see that he didn't want to look at her. She took a step towards him. "Erik, did you hear it all?" she had to know. When he said nothing, her face fell. "I'm so sorry, my dear, I'm sorry, but I cannot do what I said I would for you."_

_He glared at her, his anger catching up to him. "You are not sorry," he growled quietly._

"_I am. More than you could ever imagine. I'm sorry that we cannot be one," Christine apologized. She had loved him at some point and would admit it openly, but as of that moment on the roof, she couldn't love Erik anymore for Raoul had come back into life and they had loved one another ever since they were children._

_Erik could only shake his head coldly. She was not sorry. It's one thing to say you're sorry when you are done doing something. But how can you apologize for something you are doing? "I'm sorry as well, Christine." His voice was just as cold and almost monotone. _

"_The rose. I came to retrieve the rose. I dropped it where I am standing, but it is not here. Did you pick it up?" she inquired with sad eyes._

_"Yes, I did," Erik said, still speaking in monotone. Even her eyes could not affect him, not while he was feeling so emotionless._

"_Where is it?" she asked. She was upset. She didn't know why, but she was very upset. Christine took another step towards him and touched his hand. "Erik…I really am sorry. I do love you, but I don't think it's the same love that I have for Raoul."_

_Erik pulled his hand away from her and glared. Yes, he knew he was being childish but he couldn't bring himself to care. She had reduced him to this._

_This time, Christine felt hurt. He really was very angry with her. So he really did love her and he still, probably more than she ever would love him. Tears filled her eyes but she kept them hidden. "I'm so sorry, my dear, I'm very sorry," she said, and then realized what she has called him. It was an old habit and she knew that her habits always lasted._

_Erik was not surprised that she called him this, for it had been such a habit but it hurt him. Every time she displayed some kind of act of kindness for him when she couldn't even mean it, it hurt. But he reached his hand into the pocket of his coat and removed the rose, which he had placed inside during his anger. The stem was bent but the flower was intact. He held it out to her, his arm stiff._

_Christine only looked at it for a moment then finally took it and played with its petals for a moment. She looked up at him and the corner of her lips went up. "The roses were my favorite part at the end of each show," she said, smelling the rose._

_He nodded once, her smile melting away just a little of his glare. He nodded again and watched her sadly._

"_Erik, say something, please. I want to know that you do not hate me." She moved even closer to him. "Please don't hate me." She hoped with all of her heart that he didn't. "Although, I'd like to know why…you did what you did; to poor Buquet."_

_He sighed quietly, "I could never hate you, Christine. But...'Poor Buquet?' I killed him to show that I could actually cause real problems for the two fools who try to run my theater. But I never thought he could be referred to as 'poor'. He was a drunk who went around telling completely false stories of me. Do you honestly care about what happened to the man or are you just concerned that it happened?" Erik tilted his head at her._

_She thought for a while about the question. How was she to answer it? He wanted honesty? Alright. "I did not think you to be the monster everyone says you are. I refused to believe it. I still do, but I do not know what else you are going to do. Who are you going to murder next, in cold blood? You killed him because the managers refused to put me in as the lead and I got the silent role. So what, Erik? It didn't matter to me, so why should it matter to you? I do not want the lead role every time. You know I get shy when so much attention is on me," Christine told him, shaking her head._

_Erik frowned at her. "Surely you wish for your career to improve? It matters much to me; I am your teacher. And Christine..." His voice trailed off for a moment before picking up again. "I do not wish for an argument, but I AM a monster. You have seen it before and yet you didn't realize it. Not until now, it seems." Erik watched her reaction carefully, knowing she would be inclined to argue at his self accusation. She wouldn't want to think that, no matter how true it happened to be. That was just the way Christine was. But then again, he thought Christine loved him. Did he even know this girl?_

_She shook her head. "No, Erik. If you were a monster then you wouldn't have been able to love me as you did…do. You would have been heartless and merciless, but yet, I know that inside, Erik, you care about what you do and what you have done. You do not kill just because you are bloodthirsty. You have your reasons, but those reasons shouldn't be acted upon. What you did was wrong. I know and you know it. But that does not make you something that you aren't," Christine said, protesting against him._

_Erik frowned at her. She was amazingly naive to think that of him. Either that or a liar. She had made it very clear that she was afraid of him to that stupid fop. "Whatever you say, Christine," he said quietly, not willing to argue with her._

_She touched his arm again and made him look at her. "Please, Erik, do not do any wrong things for my sake. You are only going to have more people hating you, if you do. They do not understand you or what you've gone through to get me to love you. Like I said, I do love you, but not as I love Raoul. You've got to believe me," Christine said in a whisper._

_"Then how do you love me, Christine? How can you even?" Erik sounded slightly exasperated, and he was annoyed that she could keep saying this, throwing it in front of his face._

"_I pity you, Erik, ever so dearly I pity you. But not in the way that I feel sorry for you because I do not. I pity you because you would do everything for me and yet, I do not reply to what you do. Yes, I loved you once and I am still attracted you, my dear, but Raoul and I share a bond ever since we were younger. You know of us, since you are my Angel of Music. I love you, Erik, but with my soul and not my heart," she finally said. She didn't know how to avoid saying that she loved Raoul now and not him. What she had said was true, but she couldn't bring herself up to say that he's doing everything for her for nothing._

_She understood that he would do everything for her, and yet she loved that idiot because she knew him first? "Christine," he whispered. "You love him because you loved him so long ago. And yet you can't love me even though I'd give you anything and everything. I don't understand you, Christine. You are one of the only things I don't understand."_

"_I don't understand myself either sometimes, but with this, I do understand. I love Raoul and there's nothing we can do about it," Christine told him. She knew he was very hurt but she couldn't anything about it, as she said._

_"I suppose we can't," Erik said coldly. There was no emotion visible on him; there was barely any inside of him. All he felt was cold._

_Christine looked at him one more time. "I've got to go. Raoul is waiting for me," she said. "Will you be alright?"_

_"What would make you assume I wouldn't be?" Erik responded softly. "Good-bye, Christine." He nodded once to her._

_She walked away, then stopped and turned around. She could see the hurt he had and could see how much he wanted to run to her, but she only shook her head and went on and through the door with the rose in her right hand._

_Walking away was too easy for her. Erik sighed. There was no justice in that at all, but since when did he ever get justice? He began to shake with buried emotions. He lowered his head for a moment, and then raised it and walked from the roof through a hidden passage._


	7. Chapter 7

Weddings. Oh boy, how Christine adored hearing all about them and organizing everything that needed to be organized. Ever since she had planned her own wedding, to Raoul, she had always loved to know more great ideas on how to make them seem more romantic and fancy. The only wedding she'd ever had planned turned out disastrous, though. Nothing seemed to go according to her plan.

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_"Raoul, can you hand me those scissors, please? I need to cut these strings a bit. They're too long," Christine complained, observing the lace and ribbons she would put up on her wedding day to decorate. They had been ordered too long and she was annoyed by this._

_Raoul passed his fiancé the scissors and observed her fret over the little details with a small smile on his face. He wanted everything to be perfect for her. She could have whatever she wanted in this wedding. "The wedding's going to be perfect, Christine," he assured her._

"_I hope so. It should be, after all I'm doing," Christine said, cutting off the extra inches from the lace pieces. "Raoul, what do you think would happen if-" she cut herself off. She shouldn't be worrying about Erik. She should concentrate on her wedding and Raoul._

_"If what?" Raoul asked her softly, looking at her with concern._

_She shook her head. "Nothing. I forgot what I was going to say," she lied, and then continued cutting the lace as if really nothing had occurred._

_"Are you sure, Christine?" he asked her softly. "You know if anything is wrong you can tell me. What are you worried might happen?"_

"_Nothing, ok?" she said, raising her voice with irritation. Then, she felt guilty for getting angry at him for caring about her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm just a bit off the edge even since…well, you know...with…the Phantom of the Opera," Christine said in a small voice._

_Raoul tilted his head at her, his eyes softening. "You can talk to me about him. I'm never going to be angry at you for something he did. But you don't have to worry about him. I'm going to keep you safe from him, and he won't ever hurt you again."_

"_Raoul, it's not really that. I mean, I want to marry you because I love you so much, but with the Phantom, Erik is his name, it's different. I've noticed that I act differently with both of you and I'm just so…lost and confused. What if he appears during the ceremony? Then what am I going to do?" Christine asked, shaking her head. She gripped Raoul's arms as her face fell._

_"He won't interrupt our wedding. I'll be sure of that. I'm going to protect you, Christine. You don't have to worry." Raoul wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently before pulling back to look into her eyes._

"_It's not the matter of protecting. You don't have to protect me from him. I'm not afraid of him as most are," Christine said. She knew he had his distortion; it was in his soul. "I'm just afraid of what he might do to you. What am I going to do without you, Raoul?"_

_Raoul smiled at her gently, "You need not worry about me. I'm strong enough to take him on. You won't ever have to be without me again," he whispered the last sentence as he gazed at her._

_Strong enough? Oh, if only you knew what Erik could do… Christine thought. She was still upset, but forced a smile for him. "I worry about you constantly. Because you are a part of me, I worry. It's a woman's job, you know. To worry, I mean."_

_He let out a small laugh and smiled at her. "I know. Come on, Christine. Try to relax. We are going to be wed. You have reason to be exited. Be happy, Christine. Everything will be alright."_

"_I hope so. And thanks, Raoul, for making me feel a bit less paranoid about the entire situation," she said and grinned her innocent grin. She was still upset and would worry, but couldn't let Raoul see._

_Raoul grinned back at her. "Good," he said and then he kissed her gently._

* * *

Nightfall was always bewitching to her. So was sun up, when the sun was only an hour away from dawn. It was night again and Christine was touching her embroidered handkerchief, one that her mother had made for her. Her father had given it to her when she was three years old. She loved the material like it was her very own heart and treasured it always. But she was restless that evening and she couldn't even bear to look at it.

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_  
Christine could hear the morning birds chirping very early that morning. Dawn was approaching quickly but she only had one thing on her mind. She had to find a way to go to her father's grave without anyone going with her. Raoul would never allow her to go alone, so she had to sneak away. She put on her dress and a cape over it, and tiptoed past her fiancé who was guarding the entrance to her dormitory. As she got outside, she took a deep breath of the cold air and closed her eyes before she went anywhere else._

_Erik saw Christine when she walked out and he watched her carefully, waiting for his moment. She would be his as she belonged to be._

_Her curly brown hair covered her face and she was grateful, hoping that nobody would recognize her for the time being. Who knows what Raoul told everyone working near the opera house? She walked up to the stableman and shoved a few coins in his hand. "I need a carriage. To the cemetery, please," she said softly, hiding under the hood of her cape._

_Erik moved behind the stableman silently and struck him on the back of the head. He covered himself with his hood and took control of the carriage._

Raoul jolted awake and realized Christine's door was open. He darted forward and gasped as he realized Christine wasn't there. What was she thinking?!

_Christine got into the carriage and repeated her destination. Then, she leaned back and thoughts began swimming in her mind. What was going to happen to her? To Raoul? To their life together? She felt like Erik was playing games with her mind, for she couldn't stop thinking about him. She didn't know if she was afraid, content, unhappy, or felt pity towards him. She felt emotionless and numb, thinking about his beautiful voice and how he would touch her softly and kiss her gently._

_Erik kept his face forward so she would not see how he covered half of it. To have her so close was...was amazing. But he was...was angry even the right word? No, he was frustrated. Frustrated and rather cold._

Raoul glanced out the window and saw a carriage riding off with Christine. He darted down and outside and ran up to the stableman. "Where have they gone?" he demanded. When told they were off to the cemetery he jumped on a white horse and took off after them.

'_In sleep he sang to me…In dream he came…That voice which calls me to…And speaks my name…' It was all true. He would come to her in her sleep and sing to her, even when she was a child. How could she desert him like that? How could she leave him and yet pity and fear him? No, Christine. Do not think like that, she told herself. She loved Raoul. She always did. Nothing can change the fact that she and Raoul were soul mates, destined to be together. Forever. So then, why did she feel empty?_

_Erik pressed the horses faster as they neared the graveyard. All of his thoughts focused on Christine and her beauty. Of how he would have her once more._

Raoul spurred the horse and jumped a log that was in the way. But he knew it would take much longer to reach the cemetery and he feared it would be too late.

_She lifted her face and saw that the cemetery was near. The carriage stopped and Christine slowly got out, hoping she could go through with this. She hadn't visited her father's grave in nearly two years. Her heart skipped a beat and walked through the lonely gates. Snow was falling all around her and the sculpted images looked haunting to her. But she pressed on to the center of the graveyard, where her father's memorial lay._

_Erik flicked the reins and took off with the horses. He hid them and the carriage quickly before turning and going back into the cemetery to find Christine._

_Christine looked around her every step she took. Why was everything so sad and depressing? Even the snow seemed to dull as it began to fall in sheets from the sky. It was as if the colors were mocking her, gray and white. She had lost her father, due to her selfish childish reasons and she had no way of repenting for what she had done. She lost her one companion. Why couldn't the past have died along with him? Pain was unbearable and she only wished that her father was somehow there again with her. But her wishes were impossible. "Papa, I miss you," she whispered to herself as the memorial came into sight._

_Erik stalked behind her as silent as the snowfall. He heard her whisper and knew she felt deep sorrow for her late father. He could only hope that perhaps she would want the old comfort that he could provide for her. And if she didn't...he would deal with that later._

_Christine felt tears rush into her eyes as she knelt down in front of the large steps to her father's grave. She folded her hands under her chin and as the tears threatened to fall, she said, "Help me say goodbye, Papa. Help me say goodbye to you." Her voice was choked, and she was nowhere near peaceful. Her heart was troubled._

_Erik approached her until he was several feet from her. He studied her kneeling form for a moment before softly singing, "Christine. Christine."_

_Christine's sorrow was so deep that she was even hearing the wind whisper her name. She didn't want to hear anything. She couldn't. "Help me, Papa. Please," she begged. She refused to say "father" for when she used her childish name for him, she felt safer._

_Had she not heard him? Or perhaps she did not want to hear him. Erik took a step closer to her and sang softly again, "Christine."_

_  
Christine closed her eyes and a tear fell from the corner of her eye. She wiped it away quickly and scolded herself for being so emotional. She always tried being a stronger person and never wanted to let her feelings out. She felt vulnerable when she cried and she hated it. "Papa, protect me. I hope I've made the right choice," she whispered, then wiped another tear on her shoulder. As she did, she saw a shadow behind her. She had a sinking feeling that she knew who it was._

_Erik studied her quietly. He saw her notice his shadow and a small smile appeared on his face, which quickly disappeared. "Angel," he whispered softly to her, calling her to come to him._

"_No, please," she whispered desperately. She knew who it was but couldn't bear the thought of a confrontation. It was too much for her. She stood up slowly and turned around, but didn't lift her gaze to the person in front of her._

_Erik crossed the last several feet to her until he stood directly in front of her. He whispered, "You don't want to see me, Christine?" With his thumb, he stroked her cheek gently, as though wiping a tear away._

_Christine took a step away from him. She didn't want to feel his touch. She didn't even want to see him. "No. I don't," she said softly, her voice shaking._

_"Why is that?" he asked her softly. A small smile played on his face as he approached her again._

_She backed away as he went closer to her. Fear began to rise within her and she hoped he wouldn't do anything to her. "Erik, stop. You know why. You know why I never want to see you, or to hear your voice, or even touch you. It's too much for me. It's just too much…" her voice trailed and she shivered._

_"I don't understand, my dear," he lied softly. "Surely, you aren't afraid of me. Surely, you know I'd never hurt you." He stopped approaching her and said softly, "Are you angry with your Angel, Christine?"_

_She felt the hairs on her arms rise and she shivered once more at his voice. "Erik, I'm warning you. Don't do this right now. Please don't do this to me," she whispered. She was more than frightened. She didn't know what he was up to, nor did she want to find out._

_"Don't do what?" he asked her softly, his voice almost a hiss. And then he let out a small chuckle. "What exactly are you warning me with?"_

_Christine almost began trembling. She was paralyzed with fear. She didn't know what's gotten unto Erik. What if, as she feared, he had reached the point of ultimate obsession with her? What if there was no chance in returning safely? "Please, have mercy on me. Do not play with my memory, games. Do not strike out at me in this way," she begged._

_"Oh, Christine. You know I'd never hurt you," he spoke softly. "Trust your angel, Christine. Don't be afraid."_

_Christine was frustrated and frightened. "Trust you?" She couldn't believe her ears. "You are no angel, Erik. Especially not mine." She took another step backwards and swallowed the lump in her throat. "And no, I do not know if you'd ever hurt me or not. I do not know you anymore, Erik. You are not the person I knew you to be. Not anymore."_

_"How can you believe I will hurt you, Christine? You know I love you. You can believe I am not your angel but I always will be." Erik smiled at her, his eyes glinting eerily._

_Christine suddenly felt a surge of energy and anger flow through her. "Love? You love me? How? By striking terror into me and then suddenly you say that you don't want to hurt me? Then what is your purpose for this? What do you want from me, if you won't leave me alone?" Christine asked him, her voice getting louder than just a whisper._

_"Do you really think I'll hurt you, Christine?" he asked her softly, almost in a mock kindness. He almost chose to approach her but stopped himself. Not yet. Not yet..._

_Christine closed her eyes as if she were in pain, but then opened them again. What was he doing? Had he going insane? "I don't know, Erik. How should I know what you'd do to me?" she asked him, and took a step back, just in case. She glanced at her father's memorial and tears suddenly sprang to her eyes. She almost cured under her breath but wanted to remain strong so Erik would not see she was so vulnerable at the moment._

_"Don't cry, Christine," he whispered softly. "I won't harm you." And then he was advancing on her again, though not at all at his full speed. For now, he allowed her to think she might have a chance at escape._

_"I don't believe you. I can't believe you," Christine said as more tears clouded her eyes. Was her doing this on purpose? Didn't he know that she was practically trembling from fear?_

_"So you think I will hurt you," Erik whispered. "Well, I can't seem to convince you from this, can I?" And now he reached her and stood inches from her, noticing her face was as white as a corpse's._

_Christine slowly shook her head. She couldn't say she was frightened that he would hurt her, but she was afraid that he was going mad. She didn't want him to be changed. What was he going to do? He seemed intent on either scaring her silly or playing with her mind purposely. Her hands dropped to her side and looked up at him with wide eyes._

_He stared down at her into her wide brown eyes. Then he gently held her upper arms, almost the way he used to, despite her rigid body. Why couldn't she remember the way he loved her? The way she loved him? Because Erik knew, despite what she said, something more than simple pity had brought them together._

_She didn't know what he was doing. She was numb, because of the cold and because of her emotions. When he touched her arms, she felt electricity searing through her. What was going on?_

_Erik was pleasantly surprised when she didn't flinch away from him but he didn't reveal anything to her. He ran his thumb across her arm once, observing her reaction._

_Christine then took a step away from him and looked at her arm where he touched her, then back into his eyes. She put her small hand on her other arm and had no idea what to think anymore. He was so...so...evil one second, but the next, he wants to get intimate. What were his intentions?_

_Erik watched her carefully, not daring to go after her again. But he could tell there was an internal battle inside of her. He knew she liked it somewhere in her heart when he was close to her. He knew this because he knew Christine better than anyone ever would._

_She swallowed the saliva gathering in her mouth and shook her head at herself. She was being nonsensical. There was nothing between them. Nothing. Not anymore. She was engaged to Raoul and Erik would have to learn to move on. Sooner or later, Christine had to accept the fact that Erik would truly find someone (if he could) better than herself._

_Erik, with a small smile, reached forward with his hand and took a strand of Christine's curly brown hair in between two of his fingers. Gently, he tucked it behind her ear and whispered, "Christine..."_

_She flinched and took a step back. "No, Erik," she whispered. "It's not like this anymore. We're strangers now to one another. I'm going to be Raoul's wife and you…" her voice trailed. She didn't know what would become of him. How would he learn to live without her?_

_"Christine, I love you. And the Vicomte...Please, Christine, explain to me. Why do you love him? He doesn't have the love for music that you do." Erik looked into the deep brown eyes that he had always loved and would forever love._

_Christine searched his eyes; his painful and pitiful eyes. "To love someone, one doesn't have to have the same interests. I love him because…well, I always have. Even as children we loved each other until she realized what the word actually meant. I love him, Erik, not you," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat._

_Erik's face fell as he looked at her. She claimed she did not love him. She claimed she had always loved the fop. But she did not love him when he wasn't there. She hadn't loved him until he came back. But he could not bring himself to say that to her. He feared it would make her feel guilty, and possibly feel that she betrayed the fop. Even if that would help her see she loved him, he loved her to much to do that to her. He remained silent, watching her sadly._

"_I'm so sorry," she said and she closed her eyes, unable to watch him anymore. "Raoul and I are like soul mates, destined to be for life. What I was with you was just…It was amazing. I did fall in love with you, but Raoul always had my heart. I'm sorry…" Her voice began to choke. She wanted too much to throw her arms around Erik and kiss him, then tell him not to worry because she loved him. But she couldn't say that. She didn't love him. At least, that was what she was trying to convince herself._

_"Christine..." Erik whispered softly. He stepped closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders, his eyes begging her to understand. To understand the depth of the love he held for her, the love that passed the fop's love by so much. The love that he would have forever._

_Christine couldn't bear it anymore. She had spent nights lying to herself and trying to never admit that she had Erik in her heart. It was too big a burden for her to continue with the lies. Without being able to control herself, she pressed her lips to his and pulled closer to him._

_Erik's eyes remained open for a moment in shock, but then he closed them and kissed her gently, holding her. She knew, she understood...Erik was elated and he prayed it never ended._

_A horse's gallop was heard in the distance and her eyes widened as she pulled back in a flash. What was she doing? She was supposed to learn to live without him, not kiss him! "I-I have to go. I'm s-sorry," she said, looking frustrated and pale as the horseman approached and pulled out a sword._

_Erik looked at her sadly, but then he heard the horseman as well and his eyes hardened over. He turned from Christine and pulled out his sword, the silver glinting in the moonlight._

Raoul jumped off the horse and glanced at Christine. What was that man doing anywhere near her? Immediately, the two men attacked each other, their swords clinking together.

_Christine was horrified. Raoul must have seen that she was not in her bed and jumped on his horse after her. She pulled back, away from the swordfight and held a hand over her mouth to keep from either gasped too loudly or shrieking. "God help them," she whispered._

_Erik slammed his sword against the fop's. He could tell that he was stronger than the fop, and hoped to tire him, and force him to give up. He would not kill him...Christine would never forgive him._

Raoul knew he had to kill this man who was terrorizing his love. He had to put a stop to this. He moved quickly, but the man was good with steel.

_Christine's eyes couldn't focus exactly on what was going on. Her eyes clouded over and she held on tightly to the reins of Raoul's horse. "Raoul, look out!" she exclaimed when she saw Erik behind him._

_Erik felt fury rage through him when Christine warned the fop but he continued to fight, striking him, tricking him, gaining the upper hand._

Raoul had ducked under the Phantom's sword easily, and fought him back. He thought of only of Christine. He would win for her.

_Christine was afraid. But for both men. She didn't want either of them to die. But neither of them looked like they would stop until one of them died. Suddenly, before she knew it, Erik was underneath Raoul's sword. "No, Raoul!" she cried out. "No…Not like this." It was too cruel a death to die by the sword._

_Erik felt fury rage through his body. She was protecting him? Why? Why did she care?_

Raoul glanced at Christine and then put away his sword, walking to Christine and the horse. He hurriedly got on and helped Christine up.

_As she and Raoul rode away, he looked back at Erik with a pitiful look. Poor Erik. Poor, poor Erik. She had stopped him from being killed. He aught to be grateful._

_Erik was shaking with fury as he stood. He whispered into the night, "Now, let it be war upon you both."_


	8. Chapter 8

Erik leaned on the edge of his piano bench, his arms on his knees, his eyes fixedly staring forward. The candle's fire flickered in front of him and he watched it. Fire...it intrigued him. It always had. Incontrollable yet graceful. Fire was beautiful. Inside of the fire that flitted before him he saw memories of events that had taken place so long ago. Events that ended in fire. An Opera he had spent most of his life on...

* * *

_Erik watched, hidden as they put on Don Juan, his opera. Beautiful...An amazing opera. He was in full costume for Don Juan, and his Punjab lasso was clutched in his hands as he prepared to rid of Piangi. When Piangi came behind the curtain, he swooped down upon him and threw the lasso over his neck. When his business was done, he got ready for his moment._

_Christine knew it was her turn to begin her role. She was Aminta, the love interest of __Don Juan__. She looked up and saw __Raoul__, hoping their plan to rid of the __Phantom of the Opera__ once and for all would work. She swallowed and began singing. "No thoughts within her head but thoughts of joy. No dreams within her heart but __dreams of love__…"_

_"Passarino," Erik sang softly as he came out, covering most of his face with his cloak. "Go away for the trap is set and waits for its prey."_

_She shivered when she heard the soft voice sing. She knew who it was. She knew the voice too well to not know. What was he doing? What was his plan? But Christine was hypnotized as he continued singing. She could hardly move until she reached the point in his singing where he had to touch her._

_"You have come here," Erik sang loudly, watching Christine. The slightest smile was on his lips as he continued, "In pursuit of your deepest urge. In pursuit of that wish which till now has been silent." He raised a finger to his lips, his eyes glinting as he approached her slowly. "Silent...I have brought you that our passions may fuse and merge. In your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me. Now you are here with me. No second thoughts. You've decided...Decided..."_

_The words suddenly seemed to come true. They were real and she could relate to them. Why was he doing this now? Christine's eyes could only follow him as he sang and once every few seconds goose bumps arose on her arm from his voice._

_"Past the point of no return. No backward glances. Our games of make believe are at an end. Past all thought of if or when. No use resisting. Abandon thought and let the dream descend. What raging fire shall flood the soul?" And as he said that, he moved swiftly to her, behind her, and he gripped her neck and held her close to him as he sang._

_She swallowed hard and hoped no one noticed her unusual behavior on the stage. She wasn't nervous at all. In fact, she had been thrilled to play the lead in this opera. But she had no idea what tricks Erik had up his sleeve._

_Erik held her close and sang, "What rich desire unlocks its door? What sweet seduction lies before us?" Erik ran his hand down her neck and arm until he grasped her hand and held it close. "Past the point of no return," he sang as he lowered her hand, but did not release it. He began to pull her along as he sang, "The final threshold. What warm unspoken secrets will we learn?" And now he released her hand and sang, "Beyond the point of no return..."_

_Christine knew it was her queue in singing. Could she go through this? "You have brought me to that moment when words run dry; to that moment where speech disappears in silence…silence…I have come here hardly knowing the reason why. In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining defenseless and silent; Now I am here with you, no second thoughts. I've decided…" she sang uncertainly, not wanting to think of the meaning behind her words, "…decided…"_

_Erik watched her, remaining still as she sang. Her voice was amazingly beautiful and she was as well. Her eyes were stunning, and he stared into them deeply._

"_Past the point of no return, no going back now. Our passion-play has now at last begun," she sang and felt weird singing that. "Past all thought of right or wrong; one final question: how long shall we two wait before we're one?" She began walking up the stairs of the staircase up on stage and the masked man copied her. "When will the blood begin to race? The sleeping bud burst into bloom? When will the flames at least consume us?" She took steps towards him._

_"Past the point of no return," Erik sang as he removed his cloak and began walking towards her. Her voice blended with his perfectly as the two continued in a perfect duet, "The final threshold." And now he gripped her waist and spun her until she was in a backwards hold as they sang, "The bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn."_

_Christine could feel his body heat and she only wished this wasn't staged. Somehow, it didn't feel like it though. "We've passed the point of no return…" they sang and she knew that in her heart, this was so real as he held her tightly. The lyrics of the song were true. After what she and Erik have been through, there is no return._

_Erik allowed his hands to caress her face and neck as he sang to her softly, "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Lead me, save me from my solitude. Say you'll want me with you hear beside you." Erik took her hand and pulled away from her slightly as he sang, "Anywhere you go let me go to."_

_Christine's heart began beating quickly when she heard him sing to her a different song. More specifically, the one where she and Raoul had declared their love for one another. She looked at him with pain in her eyes and right then, she thought she'd never felt so much pity for him as that moment. "Christine, that's all I ask"- She never let him finish. Her fingers couldn't stop as she ripped the mask from his face and she could see the misery in his eyes._

_First sadness engulfed him. But then as the screams of the audience filled his ears, fury coursed through his veins. She was his and nothing would separate them any longer. He would be sure of it. He cut the ropes to the chandelier and kicked a part of the bridge, wrapping his arm around Christine tightly. They fell together, underneath the stage, where he pulled her through a trap door._

_She looked confused at his actions and made no sound until they hit the ground. She was about to begin scolding him, but then realized what he was doing. Surely he wouldn't take her down to his home? She felt anger stir within her but yet, she couldn't open her mouth to speak. And when she did open her mouth, no words came out._

_Erik clutched Christine's wrist and lifted a torch, heading down deeper into the cellars, back to his dwelling place. Fury coursed through him and for now he didn't say anything at all._

_Christine only followed him helplessly and with her other hand she kept pulling up the straps from her dress that always slid down her arm. Suddenly, she felt her wrist make a strange sound as they took a turn and pain seared through her arm. "Ow!" she cried out. "Erik, you're hurting me!"_

_He glared back at her but did not release her wrist. He was livid with hate and anger as he continued to pull her along, rushing through the dark halls. He growled at her, "Down once again, Christine, down we plunge into the prisons of my black despair."_

_She gritted her teeth in unbearable pain and she tried not to say anything about her possibly broken wrist. "It doesn't have to be this way, Erik," she said softly as they continued to take sharp turns underground._

_"Then what would it be?" he snapped at her in anguish._

_She remained silent for she knew not what to reply. She knew that this entire chase was over. They would find Erik soon enough now that they've seen how he really looks like. They'll find him and kill him and she'd go to marry Raoul. But…did it have to be how it will be? "I'll tell them that you aren't really who you are. You're not the monster everyone thinks you are. I'll protect you," Christine told him, struggling to fight back tears._

_Erik glared back at her and said scathingly, "Why would you tell them I'm not a monster when you believe it yourself?" She wouldn't help him, he knew that much. She would go running back to her precious Raoul and he would be attacked. He did not plan to allow this to happen._

"_You're not! I don't believe it because you're not! You're only human…" she said quietly. He was not who he thought he was; who everyone thought he was. He was a pitiful creature who didn't know what true light meant. She was the only one who was able to show him the truth._

_"Christine, a human gets reviled for his sins! I live underground not for any mortal sin, but for the wickedness of my abhorrent face!" Erik growled at her violently and continued to rip her down the halls and steps._

"_Your face has nothing to do with what you've done in the past! Your face is simply an image one envisions! Your actions come from the heart, Erik! If you felt you had to kill someone, then so be it, but you cannot blame what others think of you!" she cried out, looking disgusted. "But if you think that because of your disfiguration, you are forced to sin, then you are repulsive."_

_Erik simply gripped her wrist tighter and sped up. She had never had to go through what he did, she wouldn't understand. Nobody would. "You call me repulsive. I was wondering how long it would take you to realize," Erik snarled at her sarcastically._

_She scowled at him and she felt anger rise up in her. Was he purposely trying to get her angry? She didn't want to yell or scold him, but if she had to, then she would. "Yes, you are repulsive when you wallow in self-pity. When are you going to realize that not everything has got to do with you? I pity you, Erik; I pity you greatly because you cannot see anything beyond your miserable life."_

_Erik did not answer her as he dragged her through the corridors. He was lucky he knew the halls well, because he was so angry his vision was clouded. She knew nothing. He had no pity for what he had done. He only had loathing for himself, a horrible self-loathing that she could not understand._

_When she saw that he did not answer, she didn't push the subject. There was no use in arguing if he was stubborn and refused to see that only she could ever break through his hard outer shell and get into his heart. She had to get him to see that not everyone on earth would hate him because of how he looked. Christine's entire arm was numb and she couldn't feel any pain anymore. If it was broken, well, her wrist would have to heal on its own somehow._

_Erik ripped through the hallways, his fury not loosening its grip on him or Christine's wrist. How dare she betray her angel? He who had given her so much, her voice and his love, and yet she turned her back on him for a petty childhood sweetheart._

_There was silence until Christine couldn't bear it anymore. It was as if the pain from her wrist was spreading to the rest of her body. As soon as they reached his lair and dry ground, she let herself drop to the floor, ignoring the fact that Erik's hand was tightly clasped around her wrist. Then, she cried out in pain._

_Erik glanced down at her, his fury stopping for just a moment. He knelt down and touched her wrist gently, checking it. He shook his head as he realized it may have been broken._

_Christine only gritted her teeth and didn't flinch this time, when he touched her wrist. 'God, Erik, I hope you've had a few broken bones because it doesn't feel nice at all!' she thought and wished she could say those words aloud but was afraid that he would strike her or mercilessly play games with her mind._

_Erik felt anger consume him again but this time it was anger at himself. How could he be so selfish, so stupid? He touched her cheek gently and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Christine." And he knew he deserved for her to yell at him and to curse him, to revile him._

_That was when she flinched from him. When he touched her cheek. She moved her head backwards while gripped her hand. She gave him a look that told him to leave her alone and then she stood up slowly. "Why have you brought me here?" she asked him shakily, then winced when a shock of pain hit her hand. Dear Lord, how was she going to live through it for a long time? With the pain?_

_That was when she flinched from him. When he touched her cheek. She moved her head backwards while gripped her hand. She gave him a look that told him to leave her alone and then she stood up slowly. "Why have you brought me here," she asked him shakily, then winced when a shock of pain hit her hand. Dear Lord, how was she going to live through it for a long time? With the pain?_

_Erik stood with her and studied her. Would she ever forgive him for what he had done? And now he took her uninjured hand and led her to the mannequin with the wedding dress, giving her a meaningful look._

_Christine saw the begging in his eyes, ignoring the deformation of his face. It didn't bother her anymore. She dropped her hand when she understood what he was asking. She shook her head and took a step back. He wouldn't. Surely he wouldn't force her to marry him. "No," she said, closing her eyes._

_Erik looked at her for a moment and then walked to the mannequin. He quickly retrieved the dress and went back to her, offering it to her, though not allowing her to refuse._

_She pushed his hands away with her uninjured hand and shook her head again, feeling her body go numb. "No, Erik," she said louder this time. "I'm not putting it on." For once, she was glad she was extremely stubborn. Christine felt her heart beating faster as she realized that he could force her to do anything and she wouldn't be able to refuse._

_Erik shook his head sadly at her. "Christine," he whispered softly to her. He was not so angry at the moment but did she want to feed his rage again? "Go on, Christine. I do not intend to hurt you again. But you must cooperate with me. I am not threatening you but I do not wish to become angry with you again. I am warning you."_

_She lifted her chin in the air and gave him a smirk. "Then you don't have to become angry with me again. Control your anger," she told him. "But I am not putting on the dress. You can't make me." She almost crossed her arms over her chest, but remembered her broken wrist. Oh, how badly it hurt her._

_Erik frowned at her. She was so beautiful when she smiled, even if it was a smirk, but she didn't understand. He wished he could control his temper. He usually could. But not now, not after all of this. "I can make you and you know it. I certainly don't wish to. But, Christine, my love," he said it almost menacingly, taking a step towards her. He thrust the dress at her, his eyes glinting angrily. He jerked his head to a secluded area where he would not see her and then lowered his eyes to the dress._

_Christine's eyes widened. He wouldn't! She blushed slightly and put her unharmed hand on her hip while holding the dress. He was not going to be the one the dress her. Neither was she. "The dress is not going to be on me, Erik, and I mean it. You cannot force me into doing anything! If it's against my will, then it's against the law. Oh, wait, I forgot, you don't obey it. Now what am I going to do with you?" she said, curling her lower lip in a pout. "Besides, I can't use my left hand. You broke it, remember?" Uh, oh…I don't think I should've said that…He might get ideas,' she thought and almost winced._

_Had he been less angry he would have laughed at the look on her face. But he figured he could try to use it to his advantage. "Well, how am I supposed to get you in the dress now?" he said with a hint of sarcasm. "I didn't really think you'd want help but if your wrist is broke, you apparently need it..."_

"_I'm still not dressing into it and you're NOT helping me. Erik, I'm not going to marry you. You can't force me and even if you did, it wouldn't be a true marriage," she said stubbornly. "You're obsession has gone way too far for your own good and because of that, you're being hunted down."_

_"Christine, do you really think I care whether you consider it to be a true marriage or not?" But he did. A year ago she would have wed him but he did not ask her. She was still too young, and she had a life to live before marriage. He didn't think she would have wanted to be married so early. But once they were married and the fop was out of the way she would understand that she loved him. Because she did, and he knew it._

_She gave him a dirty look. "I wouldn't know. You're the one who I fell in love with and you loved me back, and I thought I knew you, but then you murdered innocent people. Now, you plan to hurt Raoul, or planned to, but instead you take me and will force me to marry you. I only hope that you won't…" her voice trailed off, and didn't want to say the exact words that were forming in her head, "do something else to me."_

_"Won't what, Christine?" he asked her softly, anger and sadness mixing in his voice and eyes. Surely she'd never expect him to hurt her on purpose?_

_She shook her head, not wanting to answer the question. She was tired, confused, surprised, and in pain. She didn't want to argue but she needed justice. This wasn't fair. "I'm not putting on the dress. If you want to marry me, I'm fine the way I am right now," she said._

_"You know, Christine...I had thought I'd known you. But how could I have? The person I knew trusted me and loved me. The person I knew never would have betrayed me. She was passionate and had a heart to see what other's couldn't. Can't you see how the Vicomte has changed you?" Erik begged of her. He needed her to see...She loved him. And he loved her so much. And also, he noticed it was becoming pointless to try to get her in the dress. She didn't want to and if she did she would feel she was giving in to him. She was all too stubborn for it._

"_You know, those were my words. That I thought I knew you but I didn't," she said, still holding the dress. "And no, Raoul did not change me the least bit. I've been waiting for him for a long time and now that he is finally here, I thought that I could live to be with him, but I can't now, can I?"_

_Erik didn't answer her question. He was annoyed by her words. She was waiting for the fop when she kissed him? But he wouldn't say that. He wouldn't make her feel she betrayed the fop. It might cause her to want to go back to him even more. Instead he said, "Then will you allow us to learn to know each other? Please, Christine."_

_Christine heard the tone he was using. It was real that time. He really meant it. He wanted to start all over and build trust with her. No one would ever find them and there would be nobody to bother them. It was tempting, but she couldn't do that. Not anymore. She would've a year ago. That Christine was willing to do anything for him. This Christine couldn't leave Raoul. She loved him. "Erik, it's over. What we had cannot be ignited again. You took it too far when you saw how Raoul took your place in my life. You're not in my life anymore. You're not."_

_Erik shook his head at her but he could feel his impatience rising. He was not out of her life, nor did he ever plan to be. He moved closer to her and then gripped her upper arms, though not kindly. "I am still in your life, Christine. I always will be. Now," he gripped her arms slightly tighter, glaring down at her. "Go put on the dress before I lose all of my patience."_

_She gave him a dirty look as she rubbed her numb arm when he let go of her. If that was how he wanted to play it, then let is be so. Christine went to hide behind a curtain as she tried to undress with one hand, and then slip on the wedding dress on. He was not the controller of her life, nor would he ever be. He was selfish, arrogant, rude, and too demanding. He could not tell her what to do and she was sure he would not hurt her just to get his own way. He'd find something else. Like…say…kill someone…again._

_Erik glanced at the curtain she had went behind and shook his head. She was so stubborn... He loved her. He loved her so much. Why couldn't she understand? She hated him for his love._

_When she was dressed, she checked if her lace was tied around her waist and when she realized she couldn't tie it, she scowled. It was either that she never tied it, or allowed Erik to do it. She hoped he wouldn't notice. Christine peeked behind the curtain and noticed him looking in the mirror. Suddenly, she felt anger towards him and came out. "Have you gorged yourself at last in your lust for blood?" she inquired, shaking her head. "Am I now to be prey in your lust for flesh?" She almost shuddered at a thought._

_She was amazingly beautiful in the dress but anger filled him at her words. How could she think he would hurt her in such a way? "That fate which condemns me to wallow in blood has also denied me the joys of the flesh. This face, the infection that poisons our love," Erik touched Christine's hair gently. "This face which earned a mother's fear and loathing," he walked to the mannequin as he said this. He lifted the veil and held it for a moment as he said, "A mask, my first unfeeling scrap of clothing." He turned back to her and put the veil forcibly on her head as he said, "Pity comes too late! Turn around and face your fate. An eternity of this before your eyes." He slipped his ring into her hand and closed her fist around it._

_Christine looked away as she slipped the ring on her finger. Now she was feeling angry. She only hoped that her temper wouldn't rise too high or she'd begin yelling too loudly at him and then both of them would begin arguing. But then, she realized that he was truly pained by the fact that he thought that she wouldn't love him because of his face. That wasn't it at all. Christine looked into his eyes for a moment, then walked past him, taking her veil off and letting it drop to the ground. She walked up to his mirrors and took off the cloth from on it. "This haunted face holds no horror for me now," she said honestly, and then she knew that her next words would hurt him. "It's in your soul that the true distortion lies." She looked back at him as she said that._

_Erik closed his eyes and looked away from her as she said that. It caused him true grief, worse than what he had felt before. But as his eyes traveled across his lair he saw none other than the fop. "Wait!" He looked back at her and said, "I think, my dear, we have a guest!"_

_Christine's eyes traveled to the big gate guarding his home and they lit up with relief. "Raoul!" she cried out and ran out to the edge of the dry ground and then realized that she couldn't go anywhere without getting her dress wet._

_"Sir, this is indeed an unparalleled delight," Erik said. He found himself amused. The stupid boy. Did he really think he could stop the Opera Ghost? "I had rather hoped that you would come. And now my wish comes true, you have truly made my night." Erik wrapped his arm around Christine and held her tightly to him._

_When he held her close to him again, she felt fear once again. "Let me go," she said, her voice shaking._

_"Free her!" Raoul cried in horror. "Do what you like only free her! Have you no pity?!"_

"Your lover makes a passionate plea!" Erik said to Christine as he released her, almost teasing her with his words.

_Christine almost rolled her eyes at Erik's words, then with worry she turned back to look at Raoul. "Please, Raoul, don't bother anymore. It's useless. He won't let me go. I tried," she said, her heart thumping in her chest, wondering what Erik was thinking._

_"I love her!" Raoul shouted at the Phantom. "Don't you care at all for her?! Let her make her own decisions! Show her compassion!"_

_"Never before have I been shown compassion, and I feel quite inclined to return the favor!" Erik growled back at the stupid fop._

"_Please, Erik, let me go. Let me return to Raoul. We'll leave you alone forever then," Christine forced herself to say, fear making her voice shake._

_"It is not my goal to have you leave me, Christine," Erik said to Christine._

"Let me see her," Raoul begged the horrid man. The man smirked, and lifted the gate. Raoul stepped through, hoping to be able to get to Christine and protect her but he had no time. The man threw him back against the gate and began to tie him to it. Raoul was shocked to find he was not strong enough to free himself from this wretched man.

_Christine gasped loudly and realized that Raoul's life may be at stake because of her. "Please, don't! Let him go! Untie him, Erik!" Christine cried out in fright._

_But Erik did not stop and said, "Nothing can save you now, except possibly Christine! Stay with me forever! Buy his life with your love! Refuse me and he'll never see light again! This is the point of no return!"_

_Christine looked so lost and confused. What was she to do? If she refused to be with Erik for the rest of her life, he'd kill Raoul and it would all be in vain. But if she were to choose Erik, Raoul would live and there would possibly be another chance with him. Why was he making her do this? The choice was impossible! She then felt anger rise within her again. Erik was only asking for it. "The tears I might have shed for your dark fate, Erik, they aren't there anymore; the tears have grown cold and now they're meant only to hate!" she exclaimed, taking a few steps into the water._

_"I'm sorry, Christine!" Raoul cried. "I've tried so hard for you and yet it all ends here!"_

_She shook her head. It does not end there! It cannot! Not if she was in between! She approached Erik slowly, but she had yet a long way to get to him. "I thought you were a friend and I thought we had hopes, but not even hopes stand a chance against this. I adored you, Erik, because you taught me the one thing nobody else could, and yet, you desire to be cruel and rip the bond we had," she said, with a scolding and yet fearful voice._

_"It's too late!" Erik shouted back at her. His rage and fury at everything that had happened filled him now and there was no stopping him. "Too late for stupid prayers and useless pity. Don't waste your breath on begging, for this is the choice you must make! "_

Raoul shook his head. How horrible a man could do this? He couldn't let Christine be harmed but it was either him or her. He prayed to God it would be him and he stated the words that he knew were true, as loud as he could. "Either way you choose he will win!"

_There was nothing she could do. There was no choice that she wanted to take. It was all by force. She was forced to make a choice; but which one would she make? "Erik, nobody deserves this! Nobody had done anything wrong!" Christine cried out. "Angel of Music," she began softly, "you deceived me," she accused._

_Raoul winced as the Phantom yanked at the rope once more and said, "For pity's sake, Christine, say no! Don't give away everything for my sake!"_

Erik, almost shaking with the anger at the man whose life he threatened to take growled at Christine, "His life is what you must earn!" But then he fell silent, at least for a moment, to listen to her words. He could not help but offer her this favor, for no matter what he did he loved her with all that he was.

_Christine had a tear rolling down her cheek. She had no choice but to choose Erik. She could never forgive herself if Raoul died. She took more steps towards him. "I gave you my mind blindly, Erik. Why didn't you take it?" she asked, shaking her head._

_"Don't try my patience," Erik snarled at her. "Make your decision."_

Raoul was desperate. He knew Christine, and he knew she was about to hand over her life to this murderer. He prayed to God she would come to her senses and get out of here.

_She allowed more tears to face down her face. She walked closer and closer to Erik singing softly, "Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known? God give me courage to show you, you are not alone." Then, she pressed his lips against his and laid her soft hand on his cheek._

_Erik gasped slightly against her lips. She had not kissed him like this in so long. And it brought back a flood of memories, of telling her he loved her and of kissing her and holding her. He remembered the intense but pure love he held for her and he knew he had made far too many mistakes. He had past the point of no return for redemption. He would never be good enough for her. She deserved better than the fop but he could do nothing for that. He loved her so much, as he had told her many times. And now was the time to let her go. If she no longer wished to be with him, he could not keep her against her will. He wouldn't. Things would never be the same again. He pulled away from her and whispered, "Go, forget me. Forget all of this." His voice rose as he looked into her eyes. "Leave me! Take the boat; swear to me never to tell! Forget what you know of the angel in hell!" And he hurried away from her, unable to bear the proximity to the one and only person he had told he loved._

_Christine was in confusion. Didn't he just demand to take her? Why was Erik allowing her to escape? She had just kissed him, but she had no idea why. Why did her body react to being so close to him again? She didn't love him, and yet, she felt like they had a quick connection. Not knowing what else to do, she ran to Raoul and untied him, then kissed him and hugged him tightly. But as Raoul grabbed her hand, she shoved him a little. "Raoul, I have to do something first," she said softly and walked slowly to Erik, seeing him with tears in his eyes, and staring at his music box. She felt her heart ache for him._

_"Masquerade..." Erik sang softly, looking at his music box. He had lost everything now. Christine had been the only person who mattered. "Paper faces on parade. Masquerade...Hide your face so the world will never find you." His eyes rose slowly to Christine and his heart felt like it could take no more. "Christine, I love you," he whispered to her._

_She felt her heart leap and she felt sorry for the person who had done everything for her and thrown himself at her feet, and yet, she didn't care. How could she be so cruel? Tears filled her eyes. She forgot what she was going to tell Erik. It didn't matter anymore. As she was playing with her fingers again, a habit to her when she didn't know what else to do, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her wrist as her other fingers touched something. It was the ring Erik had given her. She slowly slid it from her finger, careful not to move her wrist. "Erik…You might want this back," she said softly. She took his large hand and put the ring in the middle of his palm, then closed his hand. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry it had to end this way."_

_Erik simply shook his head. He could not speak, not with what had happened. She was really leaving him forever. The ring was the proof. He would never see her again. He would do anything to keep her with him but he couldn't. It was over. He stared into her eyes desperately, wishing she would tell him she changed her mind and would stay with him, but in his heart he knew this would never happen._

_She knelt down and took his hands. "Look and me and listen to me carefully, my dear," she said, and then shook her head and her slip of words. "I want you to move on, Erik. I want you to forget me forever. Please don't make this harder for either one of us. Please, just forget about what had ever happened between us. You'll kill yourself if you don't forget. I don't want you dead. I don't," she said softly, not wanting Raoul to overhear what she was saying._

_Erik knew he would never move on. He couldn't let her go, not when he had been, and still was, completely and totally in love with her. But she would be upset if she thought he was dwelling on her. He nodded once, but could not speak. There were no words to say. Her beautiful eyes took them all away._

_Christine walked closet to her and laid her silky hand on his cheek. "Please, Erik, please. Take my advice. Perhaps one day, I'll come back and I'll tell you just what you want to hear. But as of right now, I can't do that. I have to go back with Raoul. I have to stay away from you," Christine told him, feeling the pain in her chest grow._

_Did she really think she would ever return to him? Even the thought seemed impossible, but it was just as impossible as living without her. He had never imagined being without her. Every time he had thought of his future, he saw her there without a doubt. But she would never be there. And yet she stayed so close to him, torturing him with her presence. She was offering the prey to the starving predator! Did she want him to change his mind? This close proximity to her would drive him insane, and yet he knew it would be so much worse when she was gone. "Please, Christine," he whispered. "Leave now. Leave now before I can't bear to let you go."_

_Her eyes lowered when she realized that she was making him feel even more pain than he did. She should be leaving, as he said. This choice was just as hard as the other one and it hurt her to leave him, seeing him as a mess. Christine leaned down and kissed his cheek, caressing it once more. "Don't lose hope, my dear. Don't lose hope, for me," she said softly, giving him one last warm smile before turning around._

_Erik wanted to shout as he watched her retreated figure but he didn't. This was it. This was the end of his life. She was the only thing that had ever gave him true purpose to live, and now she was gone. His hands shook violently with grief but he remained silent. Don't lose hope? She was his hope. His reason, his life, his hope was going to a man who had everything._

_Christine felt her heart twist and she wished she could turn around and embrace him one last time. But she wouldn't do that. He was too generous to let her go and she wouldn't want him to change his mind. True, Erik was her first real love, but Raoul was her soul mate. She belonged with Raoul and nothing would change that. She wanted to cry, but wouldn't allow Raoul to see her tears. She hardly ever cried and it would only worry him. She slipped her hand into Raoul's and they got into the boat together._

_As his tears fell he whispered, "Only you can make my song take flight." He stood and to the music he had once held dearly, he shouted, "It's over now, the Music of the Night!" And with that he lifted a candlestick and slammed in into one of his mirrors. No longer would his image hinder him from everything. He would find himself freedom, and wait for the day he could hear Christine once more. Another mirror was shattered and the shards went everywhere, glinting. The music was over now, was this a new beginning? Would it all begin again? No. This would be the sequel to the start of his life, his life with Christine. With the loss of her, he would move on but he would one day hear her again. No matter what he was determined of this. The last mirror he shattered broke into a million pieces but revealed a passage way, an escape into the next chapter of his life. He slipped through, pulling the curtain over it._


	9. Epilogue

**Author's Note: Alright, we're on the final chapter, the epilogue. This was epic…Thanks to all who reviewed! And we don't own the Phantom of the Opera. But I do own an original London cast recording of it on cassette, which I just got today. ^.^ kristygirl4u was absolutely amazing, she's an epic writer. She's the reason the emotions are the way they are.**

_Epilogue _

Christine found herself crying as she finished sewing her dress. She had been making it for over half a year now and when she saw how it complimented her body greatly, she burst into tears. It was a white silk gown with silvery beads running down the sides and the bottom was a row of soft green leaves. The dress reminded her of the one she risked her and Raoul's lives in when she had to choose between Erik and Raoul.  
She couldn't hide from her feelings any longer. For years she had been sulking, moping around, and crying constantly. Not even her beloved Raoul could comfort her the way she wanted to be comforted. She knew that day that she still loved Erik. Even if she hadn't thought of him in a long time, he was on her heart and she loved him.  
But he was dead. There was no way he would have survived without her, like he said. He said that without her, there was no reason for him to live. How could she have done this to him? How could she have abandoned him in that way? She needed something to prove to her that he was still alive. And if he wasn't, then she'd have to find love with Raoul eventually. If he was…then maybe she'd go find him.

Erik was pacing the floor near his organ, again. How many days had it been since he had last seen Christine? He longed to go to her and find her and beg her to take him back. He couldn't do this without her. Before he had met her, he drowned himself in music to give himself purpose since he had no one. But now the music was gone as was her. She had become his music. When he sang or composed she was always in front of his eyes. At this point he stopped and slammed over one of his candle sticks. When the noise stopped ringing around he noticed his hands shook. And then a terrible thought passed through his head, one he had tried so hard to keep away.  
What if she wasn't okay? What if she was hurt or depressed for who knows what, or what if the fop had hurt her? What was his Angel doing now?

That night, Christine tossed and turned the entire time and decided to leave the room before Raoul would get annoyed at her. She stayed there on her special chair beside the window where she could ponder nonstop. For a moment, she thought she saw Erik passing by, but then realized it was just her imagination. Erik would not be coming for her anytime soon, if he was still alive.  
She had to make her decision between Raoul and Erik. She'd never find love with Raoul like she had cared for him years before. She loved Erik. He was in her heart now. Tomorrow, she'd set out to find him, and she'd have to give Raoul back his ring...somehow.

Erik ran his hands over old music compositions late at night. If only he could make some of them better...He could not sleep. His worry for Christine, and the horrible longing he felt for her would never offer him the solace of sleep. Before, he had never slept. But now he had discovered his sleep contained no dreams, and it was a break from having to continue. He really didn't know why he bothered to continue at all. But he remembered the night Christine left him, and he knew he would see her again one day. He wasn't sure how much longer he would wait.

"Raoul," Christine began in a small voice as she approached him quietly. She looked down at her small hand and slid the ring off of it. "Here." She put the ring in his hand, swallowing hard and hoping she was making the right decision.

Raoul was silent as he stared at the ring his wife had put in his hand. At first, he assumed there was something wrong with it and she needed him to fix it. But the look in her downcast eyes told him a different tale. She was leaving him. What had he done wrong? Was it the fact they had not yet had children? Had he said something to offend her? He always made up after the small arguments they would get into. What had gone wrong? He loved her. Did she no longer love him? But he was not going to be silent and take this without an argument. He really did love her and whatever it was, they could fix. "Christine," he said took her hand in one of his and slipped the ring back into it. "Whatever is wrong, we'll fix. It isn't necessary for us to be parted. I love you. Tell me why you've made this decision."

"No, Raoul. We can't fix it." She shook her head and took off her ring a second time. "It's not your problem, it's mine." Christine put the ring on a nearby table and took his hands, staring into his eyes. "It is necessary for us to be parted. Not forever, though. I'll still see you perhaps, somedays. I can't be with you." She didn't want to them him the truth. It hurt her to see him ever so upset. But she had to say it. "I don't love you, Raoul. I don't know if I ever did, since the last time we met for the first time again." Her face lowered in shame.

Raoul's eyes widened. She claimed she didn't love him? But he knew she did! She had said it again and again! She was just going through a phase. It would be okay. He cupped her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Christine, what made you realize this? Just explain to me why. Even if you leave me in the end, you can't leave me without an explanation." He prayed she would not leave him but he could not stop her if she did. All he could do is try to understand, and fix it. Perhaps she just needed a break to realize how much they needed each other.

"Raoul, please don't make this harder for me than it already is. I cannot tell you the explanation because you would not understand and please don't persist on it. Just trust me. If you truly love me, then trust my decision. It's better for the both of us. You still have time to marry another woman of high class and etiquette; someone more amiable for you. You think you are happy with me, but you won't be forever. Please, just let me go," Christine begged in a whisper, just above a whisper. Tears were threatening to fall.

Raoul shook his head in shock. He didn't know what to do. This was hard for her but what if she was making a mistake? What if she just needed time? He loved her. He really honestly did. He had to keep himself from dropping to his knees and begging her to keep him. But she wouldn't tell him why. Finally, he made his decision. "I love you. I love you very much. I'm not going to stop you from leaving. But I want you to make a promise to me, and I will make a promise to you. I promise I'll wait six months. And in all of those six months I will not be with any woman, and my arms will always be open to you. If you come back then, we can be married happily. If you do not...if you truly feel this way then I will find another woman, but I know I will not love her as much as I love you. Just promise me this one thing. Send me a letter. Tell me why. If you come back, I won't care why you left, but if you leave me forever I won't be able to live without an explanation. Please, Christine."

Christine bit her lip at his words and she flung herself into her arms and cried bitterly. "I don't want to leave you. I found comfort with you for many years. But it is not what I should have chosen four years ago. I fell in love with you when you came to the opera house. I fell in love again, but my heart already belonged to someone else. You never had my heart, nor my mind. I've been grieving for the longest time and I never knew why. I know why now, my dear, I know why. But it pains me to tell you and I suppose you will despise me forever, but I cannot help it. If I do not love you, I do care about you. Deeply. But my heart is very heavy and I must go. Raoul, I will not be coming back. I want you to find happiness with somebody else. Someone who deserves your kindness and gentleness and love. Find someone immediately. Do not wait." She paused, wiping her tears away. "But, I will tell you this: if I do not write to you within a week, you know I will surely not return. If you receive a letter from me, then I will remain where I will be."

He held her, but did not cry. Not yet would he grieve for her. Not if it would hurt her. She was still in love with the Phantom. That monster was stealing away his wife. But he could do nothing for it. "I love you," he whispered. "I'll wait a month, for I don't think I could bear to get married any sooner. But then I will find someone. Just don't get yourself hurt. And don't you dare forget me." He ran his thumb over a stray tear on her cheek and then caressed her face. This would probably be the last moment he would ever hold her. "But don't grieve for me either."

"Please, don't try to find me. Don't look for me. If I wish, I will go search for you, but do not even let one thought of you looking for me cross your mind," she begged, and backed away from him. "I am leaving today. You have the ring. You have everything else of mine; I do not want anything back. I will not grieve for you, Raoul. I can only pity you because of what I could have possibly put you through these years. I'm sorry if I have ever angered or insulted you. I beg for forgiveness because I want this to be a blameless parting."

He shook his head in despair. "I won't look for you. But you've never done anything to me that I need to forgive you for. You're blameless. Don't you go feeling guilt. Goodbye, Christine." He whispered the final part, knowing it would be unlikely he would ever see those perfect brown eyes looking back at him ever again.

"Goodbye, Raoul, and I bid you a good life ahead of you." She turned away from him and walked slowly to the door, wishing she wasn't so foolish as to go out alone and without Raoul. But she would do something about her feelings towards Erik. She loved him still. He had been on her mind constantly and she didn't know who it was that was bothering her thoughts. Christine hailed a carriage in a ladylike manner and instructed to be brought to the Opera Populaire, though it was burned down.

Raoul turned his eyes to the floor. She was really gone. He could not move. He felt like a ghost standing there. How could he be without her? How was this possible? He had never imagined her leaving him. What would he do now? Well, people obviously had to know but he would keep it quiet for a little while. He didn't want Christine to be bombarded with publicity. He hurried off to send a letter to his brother.

"Erik! Erik, are you there?" Christine banged on a secret door the Phantom had showed her long ago, when she was merely 17 years old and not 22. She felt foolish, knocking on the door and yelling out his name, for she knew there was a slim possibility that he was even alive. But, she'd try. "Erik, please, if you could hear me and if you are there, open this door! I must speak to you!"

Erik froze inside of his lair. Only one other person knew of that door, and he reconized her voice. Was he imagining things? Could she really be back? She was, he knew it. After waiting for so long, he didn't know what to do. She said she wanted to talk to him...About what? She wouldn't even want to stay, would she? He felt anger and annoyance fill him. She had come back to torture him. To tease him what he could never have. He walked to the door, doing best to control his temper. Slowly, he pulled it open to reveal two wide brown eyes.

"Erik," Christine breathed and stopped cold as she saw his frozen glare. She noticed that he was more handsome than he had been before, or perhaps it was just the trick of the light at evening. She couldn't help but notice how his blue eyes, cold as they were looking at her, were still like gemstones and again her gaze couldn't tear from his. "I…" She found it impossible to continue. She was mesmerized by his presence; after so long, of course she would be.

He felt his heart melt when he saw her. She was as beautiful as ever. But it was too late. He had already closed his heart from everything and everyone. He had opened it to her and her alone. And when she left him, any love in his heart dissipated. He could only love the memory of her, the one that would never leave him. "Christine," he murmured but his voice was cold.

When she heard her name being said by the warmth of his voice, not necessarily the tone, she had to gasp in shock of her own actions. She was purely rude. No lady in France would ever react like she was, but then again, she wasn't like every lady in France. Many have told her that before. She gathered up her courage to ask, "May I come in? Or are you going to let me stay out here in the cold while I tell you something of great urgency?" Her tone too, was cold as his was, but she regained her stubbornness as she had it when she was younger.

"Forgive me," he said in a tone that implied he wasn't sorry at all and then stepped out of the way to allow her in. He couldn't help but wonder why she would want to enter the home of a monster.

She didn't even bother to look around as if she were in awe. He was being cold with her and if he wouldn't be courteous, neither would she. She had come to tell him that she had always been in love with him, but seeing as he could not care the least bit, why should she tell him? "I suppose you are well, Erik?" Christine tried carefully, wondering exactly how angry he was with her.

"Indeed," he lied easily. There was not a change in any of him that had shown it was a lie. Of course he had not been well. He was alone, underground, without anyone. She would have gone insane if she was in his postion. "And you?"

Christine gave him a smirk. "Indeed," she said, mimicking his word with a slight raise of her eyebrow. She felt he wasn't telling the truth. She knew him too well to not know when he wasn't saying what was true. "You are not well, Erik. I can see what you think. I know what you think. I do not expect you to be hospitable with me. I only came to confess something to you, if you will listen."

Erik frowned as he realized how easily she saw through his lie. What did she have to say to him? What would she confess to him? He nodded once to show he was willing to hear what she had to say.

"Erik, I have…been tortured for many months after what happened; the…dilemma we had. For approximately three years, I couldn't stop thinking about a specific something, but I didn't know what. Just a few months earlier, my heart laid upon your face. My mind distinguished your face and eyes while I had a horrid feeling that I couldn't rip out," Christine said, taking a deep breath. "I didn't think I'd ever find you again, or even less, find you alive. But you're here. You're before my eyes. Erik, please don't shun me out, even after what I've done to hurt you."

Erik shook his head and lowered his eyes. She had hurt him beyond belief. And yet he had waited for her. He had waited for the day he would find her. He didn't have the strength to turn her away now. Not when she pleaded with him like that. Not when she was here before him. And then he lifted his eyes to her own. She meant what she said. But would she just leave him here again? Could he really take this chance with her? "Christine..." he murmured but the cold and anger had already melted away. Only with her could he be vulnerable, and she was the only thing he was afraid of. He was afraid she would be hurt or she would leave him here again. "Are you truly here to stay with me? Or will you leave again?"

"Erik…" she whispered with tears in her eyes. She took his hands and knelt down, then looked up at him. "I would never leave you again. There is nothing in this world that can part us. I left Raoul for you. I left luxury and good manners, which I dread, for you. There was only one I could ever love, and it's you, my dear. I love you, Erik. I love you most ardently."

He sunk down beside her and couldn't stop his hand from reaching out and touching her cheek. She was really back. She had come back and told him she loved him. "I love you," he responded softly. And he felt regret fill his heart. He had done made too many mistakes. He had even hit her once. He had broken her wrist. He had threatened her. He had turned her away when she came back to tell him she loved him. "I love you so much. Oh, Christine...Can you ever forgive me?"

"I could forgive you, even if you tried to kill me, but I know you'd never do that," she told him, her hands trembling. "I knew there was nothing in this world which could separate me and you, not even life or death. I knew from the beginning that I belonged to you and you to me."

"Oh Christine..." he murmured, his heart aching though he finally had her. She was the one star in his black night, the perfect rose in his life of wilted flowers. He ran his hand along her cheek and traced to her chin, which he cupped. Staring into her eyes, he promised her in a whisper, "I love you more than anything."

She lifted her eyes to meet his and she withheld the look for a long time. She couldn't tear her gaze from his. She wasn't able to before and even now she wasn't able to. "Will you take me, Erik, once again? Can you forgive me for what I put you through long ago?"

He allowed his fingers to play with her hair. His memory hadn't done her justice..."Of course," he whispered. "You've never done anything I didn't deserve...except perhaps come back."

"You deserve everything better than me, my dear. If only people knew who you truly are, they'd treat you better and with respect," Christine said softly, and laid a hand on his warm chest. She neared him, hoping he'd want to kiss her, but she was a bit nervous, for she hadn't felt any lips other than Raoul's in a very long time.

If she only knew. A gargoyle did not deserve an angel. And yet she believed he did...He wanted to bring their lips together, to join himself with Christine for even moment, but he was anxious. She knew what was under the mask, so why would she want to kiss him? But Christine was a mystery. And too long had passed since he had felt her touch upon him, just her hand on his chest was sending his heart beating like mad. His hands moved to slowly grip her shoulders, and then, breathing heavily, he brought his lips to hers, kissing her because he couldn't take being even a foot away from her anymore.

Christine's lips melted into his when he finally kissed her and nothing felt more real than that moment. Actually, she wanted to believe it was a dream at first, but one more look into his eyes led her to believe that it was real and he really was before her. "I missed you," she whispered as if it wasn't obvious at all, and she threw an arm around his neck and looking at him curiously, she dug the tips of her fingers into his mask, as if waiting for his approval.

She wanted to see what was behind the mask? Why? Why on earth would she want to see that? Not even he wanted to see it! Had she forgotten just how horrible it was? Would she run when she saw? But he wasn't going to hide anything from her, not ever again. He nodded once, quickly. He wasn't going to stop her if she wanted something. Though his heart felt fear, he squeezed her shoulders gently and then ran his hands down her arms.

She gently took off his mask and threw it down to the ground. Suddenly, pity for him seized her heart and she wanted to cry for him. But she didn't. She put her hand on his cheek and grinned. "Four years ago, you were forcing me to marry you. Now that I'm here, not protesting against anything, you do not even think about asking me," she said, blushing.

And it was true. He had not even thought of marrying her since he had last seen her. All he wanted was to have her near him, with him. But how could he not want to when she was able to look at his face without flinching? For the first time in a long time, he grinned as he said, "Then will you marry me and promise to stay with me forever?"

Christine's grin was even wider when she heard that. "How could I not accept, Erik, when both of us have been through so much?" She kissed him again. "Yes, I will marry you and stay with you forever. I promise."

She was going to marry him. She was really going to marry him. She was going to be his forever, and he would be hers. Now his hands sought her waist and he pulled her upright, and then against his own body, pressing his lips to hers gently. Then he leaned his forehead against hers and whispered, "I love you so much."

"And I love you…" She gave him a quick kiss. "…so much." Christine grabbed his hands and looked at him lovingly, shaking her head. "Erik, your face does not bother me, if you're thinking that I will run because of it. I am not quick to judge outer appearances. I judge according to what the heart says."

He cupped her cheek in his hand. The love he felt for her was almost overwhelming. "We're going to be together always," he promised her and he sealed it with the most passionate kiss they had yet to share.


End file.
